GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman men's cross country team placed ninth Friday at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis.

The unranked Paladin men took down 15 ranked teams at the race, including four top-10 teams:  fifth-ranked North Carolina, No. 9 Notre Dame, eighth ranked-Air Force, and No. 4 Wisconsin.  Top-ranked Northern Arizona won the race with 76 points, followed by No. 3 BYU in second with 162 points.  No. 6 Syracuse finished third with 251.  Furman scored 294 points for ninth place.

Senior Dylan Schubert, who is returning from an illness, led the Paladins with a time of 23:55.3 on the 8K course.  Senior Cameron Ponder turned in a time of 24:10.1 for 58th place, and senior Carson Williams placed 71st at 24:14.8.  Senior David Ahlmeyer finished 103rd with a time of 24:22.2, and junior Nick Goldstein completed the five Furman scorers in 139th place at 24:36.6.  Sophomore Luke Taylor crossed the line in 26:09.5 for 226th place.  

On the women's side, the 18th-ranked Paladins scored 438 points for 18th place in the loaded field.  No. 2 Northern Arizona won the title with 52 points, while top-ranked N.C. State finished second with 95 points.  No. 11 Georgetown claimed third place with 208 points.   

Sophomore Carly Wilkes led Furman for the second-consecutive race, posting a time of 20:37.9 on the 6K course.  Junior Kaylie Armitage placed 71st with a time of 20:53.9, and senior Abigail Robertson finished 82nd with a time of 20:56.0.  Junior Sierra Bower was close behind Robertson in 84th place at 20:56.3, and senior Nicole Matysik finished the scoring in 170th place at 21:43.8.  Sophomore Jenna Mulhern turned in a time of 21:48.9 for 178th place.  Senior Bethany Graham was unable to compete due to an injury. 

"This was an awesome day for both programs," said Furman head coach Robert Gary.  "It was a tough injury for Bethany, but we are really impressed with Carly who has risen to our number one runner on the women's side.  The men rebounded very nicely after Notre Dame, and we will continue to get fitter.  The goals for both teams remain defending our SoCon titles, advancing to NCAAs, and finishing in the top ten at the national championship!"

Select members of the Paladin team will compete at the Upstate Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday.  

Complete Furman Results

Nuttycombe Invitational 

Men - 9th out of 36 teams - 8K - 394 points

26th Dylan Schubert 23:55.3

58th Cameron Ponder 24:10.1

71st Carson Williams 24:14.8

103rd David Ahlmeyer 24:22.4

139th Nick Goldstein 24:36.6

226th Luke Taylor 26:09.5

Women - 18th out of 33 teams - 6K - 438 Points

37th Carly Wilkes 20:37.9

71st Kaylie Armitage 20:53.9

82nd Abigail Robertson 20:56.0

84th Sierra Bower 20:56.3

170th Nicole Matysik 21:43.8

178th Jenna Mulhern 21:48.9