Results - MileSplit SC

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Furman men's cross country team went 1-2-3-4-5 to open the 2025 season with a victory Friday at USC Upstate's Eye Opener at Milliken Research Center in Spartanburg, S.C.  The Paladin women finished as runner-up to open the evening's races.

The Paladin men scored a perfect 15 points for the victory in the 8K race.  Clemson finished second with 57 points, followed by Hope in third with 83 points.  

Furman finished in a pack with both junior Chris Knight, who was credited with the win, and senior Luke Taylor crossing the finish line in 24:45.0.  Just behind Knight and Taylor were graduate student Albert Velikonja and sophomore Colin Eckerman, who finished third and fourth, respectively, at 24:45.1.  Junior Owen Shifflett completed the scoring in fifth place with a time of 24:45.3.

Graduate student Bryn Woodall placed sixth with a time of 24:45.4, and junior Trevor Coggin finished eighth with a time of 24:50.6.  Sophomore Tripp Roemer placed 11th at 25:04.2 followed by sophomore Rives Boltwood and junior Brayden Seymour, who each turned in a time of 25:04.3 for 12th and 13th place, respectively.  Senior Colton Kempney was 15th with a time of 25:08.1, and sophomore Alexander Friedli recorded a time of 26:04.6 for 37th place.  

On the women's side, the Paladins finished second with 35 points in the 5K event.  Clemson won the meet with 27 points, while New York University scored 66 points for third place.

Freshman Tessa Walter finished third with a time of 17:21.1 to take third place, while senior Emma Jones turned in a time of 18:01.2 for eighth place.  Freshman Elly Velasquez was just behind Jones in ninth at 18:05.5, and sophomore Rory Sullivan crossed the line in 18:15.4 for 11th place.  Sophomore Zoie Lamanna completed the Paladin scorers in 13th place at 18:25.7 followed by freshman Annie Miller in 14th place at 18:27.4.  

Sophomores Jais Ward and Nysa Males finished back to back in 16th and 17th place, respectively.  Ward recorded a time of 18:35.1 with Males finishing at 18:35.2.  Freshman Katherine Bannigan placed 23rd at 19:03.7, and sophomore Delaney Vickers was 24th at 19:06.3.  Sophomore Joiner Evans finished 32nd (19:21.4), and sophomore Katie Sobieraj posted a time of 20:04.8 for 49th place.  Freshman Avery Belk was just behind Sobieraj at 20:05.2 for 49th place, and freshman Tara Watkins turned in a time of 21:18.2 for 73rd place.  

Both Paladin teams beat out SoCon foes East Tennessee State and Wofford on Friday night.

After an off weekend, the Paladins will host the Furman Invitational on Sept. 13 in Greenville, S.C.

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Furman Women's Individual Results - 5K
3 Tessa Walter 17:21.1
8 Emma Jones 18:01.2
9 Elly Velasquez 18:05.5
11 Rory Sullivan 18:15.4
13 Zoie Lamanna 18:25.7
14 Annie Miller 18:27.4
16 Jais Ward 18:35.1
17 Nysa Males 18:35.2
23 Katherine Bannigan 19:03.7
24 Delaney Vickers 19:06.3
32 Joiner Evans 19:21.4
48 Katie Sobieraj 20:04.8
49 Avery Belk 20:05.2
73 Tara Watkins 21:18.2

Furman Men's Individual Results - 8K
1 Chris Knight 24:45.0
2 Luke Taylor 24:45.0
3 Albert Velikonja 24:45.1
4 Colin Eckerman 24:45.1
5 Owen Shifflett 24:45.3
6 Bryn Woodall 24:45.4
8 Trevor Coggin 24:50.6
11 Tripp Roemer 25:04.2
12 Rives Boltwood 25:04.3
13 Brayden Seymour 25:04.3
15 Colton Kempney 25:08.1
37 Alexander Friedli 26:04.6