GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The Furman men's cross country team is ranked fifth in the NCAA Southeast Region preseason poll and 28th in the national poll, while the Paladin women's team ranks 12th in the region, according to this week's U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rankings.
The Paladin men's team scored a perfect 15 points, going 1-2-3-4-5 to win the four-mile Furman Invitational on Saturday in Greenville.
Graduate student Albert Velikonja crossed the line in 18:46.86 to claim the individual title, while junior Chris Knight finished second with a time of 18:50.32. Sophomore Ryan Smith placed third at 18:51.31, followed by sophomore Colin Eckerman in fourth at 18:54.89 and sophomore Rives Boltwood in fifth with a time of 19:13.30.
On the women's side, all five Furman scorers placed among the top 10 collegiate runners at Saturday's Furman Intercollegiate, with the Paladins scoring 36 points for second place.
Two freshmen led the way for Furman. Rookie Tessa Walter finished third with a time of 22:04.62 to pace Furman, and freshman Elly Velasquez placed ninth with a time of 22:48.99. Sophomore Zoie Lamanna turned in a time of 22:59.65 for tenth place, followed by sophomore Nysa Males in 11th at 23:03.10, and sophomore Rory Sullivan completed the scoring in 12th place at 23:09.69.
Both Paladin teams were picked to win their 13th-straight SoCon titles in 2025. With the win at the 2024 SoCon Cross Country Championship on their home course, the Furman men, who claimed seven of the top ten individual spots, extended the league record for consecutive SoCon team titles—a distinction the Paladins claimed in 2023. The Furman women captured five of the top 10 individual spots, extending their league record with a 12th-straight team title, the nation's longest active conference winning streak on the women's side.
USTFCCCA Regional Cross Country Rankings are determined subjectively by a single member coach in each respective region. The regional representative is tasked with weighing returning team strength with current-season results in determining predicted team finishes at the NCAA Regional Championships.
Furman will compete at the Gans Creek Classic on September 26 in Columbia, Mo.
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