Cross Country Ready for FrontRunner Invitational

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's cross country teams take part in the FrontRunner Invitational Saturday on the Moccasin Bend Course in Chattanooga, Tenn., the team's final tune-up before the Sun Belt Championships at the end of the month. The women's team has continued its excellence this season because of great depth and improved times up-and-down the lineup. Junior Marjorie Gombert and senior Sara Lunning have been the leading runners in the squad's first four events, while freshman Sangau Zamzam has settled in nicely and sophomores Tiffany Sawyer, Ashleigh Thaler and Catherine Chester have all posted better marks than last year. Last year's top two runners, sophomores Ashley Comstock and Kaitlyn Hammond, have both been slowed by injuries this fall and participated in their first event of the season two weeks ago in Louisville. Comstock and Hammond placed fifth and 11th, respectively, at last year's Sun Belt Championships. "Ashley is coming back slowly and continues to keep working, but unfortunately Kaitlyn turned her ankle after the last meet and we don't know her status right now for this weekend or the Sun Belt," head coach Dean Hayes said. "Marjorie continues to run well, has all season, and Sara has been very consistent along with Zamzam, who really is doing well." The men's team received a major lift two weeks ago when freshman William Songock participated in his first event as a Blue Raider, placing second at the Greater Louisville Classic in a time of 25:13.94, the best time by a Middle Tennessee harrier since Geoffrey Lagat's winning time at the Sun Belt Championships in 2000. Senior Tony Carufe and junior Matthew Young have been steady contributors for the Blue Raiders this season, along with newcomers Philip Benavides and Chris Travis. Sophomores Ryan Hood and Luke Pfleger have added to the club's depth, but Songock gives Middle Tennessee a chance to claim another individual title at the SBC Championships after Lagat won in 2000 and again in 2001, the first two years in the league. "That was a great way to start for William and he should do well in the Sun Belt. This week is not much more than a tune-up since it's two miles for the women and 5K for the men. The next four guys after William have all been very consistent and the freshmen, Travis and Benavides, continue to get better." Full results from Saturday's meet may be found at gomocs.com. The women race at 2:30 p.m. CT and the men at 3 p.m. CT. Teams for the event include Middle Tennessee, Chattanooga, Fisk, Georgia Tech, Samford, Sewanee, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern (women only), Montevallo (women only) and Tennessee State (women only). Middle Tennessee runs in two weeks at the Sun Belt Championships at Murray Park in Little Rock, Ark.

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

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