GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Aided by seven runners posting career-best times, both the Francis Marion University men’s and women’s cross country teams placed fifth at the 19th-annual Greensboro Cross Country Invitational Meet, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 30) at Hagan Stone Park in Greensboro.

The Patriot men placed fifth behind team champion Concord University in an 18-team field. The men were third among NCAA Division II squads competing in the race. The FMU women were fifth, as North Carolina Central University earned the team title against a 21-team field.

Sophomore Steven Holmes paced the Patriot men as he finished 22nd with a career-best time of 28:12 over the 8,000-meter course.  Senior Patrick Hopewell placed 44th in a time of 29:06, followed by sophomore Dan Brann in 47th position (career-best 29:20), freshman John Corley in 70th (career-best 30:18), junior Ariel Ortiz in 82nd (30:55), freshman Jacob Williams in 105th (career-best 32:44), and junior T.J. Simmons in 143rd place (career-best 37:16).

Once again, sophomore Kelly May led the Patriot women with a 20th-place finish, as she completed the 5,000-meter course in 20:29. Junior Codi Knoch finished in 22nd position with a time of 20:39, while freshman Kim Richardson was 62nd (career-best 22:29), senior Megan Coy was 71st (22:50), and freshman Holly Todd was 107th (career-best 24:27).

Rashad Burnett of North Carolina A&T State University won the men’s race with a time of 27:06, while North Carolina State University’s Georgia Davis won the women’s event, recording a winning time of 18:41.

Both Francis Marion squads will compete in the Blue Hose Invitational Meet, hosted by Presbyterian College, on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.