Tampa Women’s Cross Country Opens Season With Early Bird Classic Title
DOVER, Fla. - The reigning Sunshine State Conference and NCAA South Region champion University of Tampa women's cross country team opened the 2012 campaign with a team championship at the UT Early Bird Classic. The Spartan men were fourth.
UT's women had 32 points in the 5K race, followed by Palm Beach Atlantic, Savannah College of Art & Design, Flagler, Valdosta State and South Florida. Tampa served as the host of the event, which took place at Brandon Trails. The Early Bird title was the fourth in the past five years for head coach Jarrett Slaven's team.
Kelly Hagan led the Spartan women with a fifth-place, timing at 19:31.52. Freshman Laura Yarrow was sixth (19:35.60) as Kaia Hampton (seventh, 19:37.50) and Danielle Kissel (eighth, 19:55.13) also turned in top-10 performances.
Also running for the Spartans were Christa McLeod (16th, 20:31.71), Iolani Scanlan (21st, 20:50.06), Tori Ehrhardt (22nd, 21:01.09), Liz Anthony (24th, 21:14.38), Vanessa Righeimer (25th, 21:17.53), Kaitlyn Martin (26th, 21:19.64), Amber Duncan (29th, 21:30.36), Rose Bastian (39th, 21:58.59), Emily Scott (43rd, 22:06.05), Kristin Kelly (72nd, 23:36.06) and Sarah Waller (77th, 23:44.42).
Florida Southern won the men's four-mile race with 57 points, edging second-place Florida Tech (60). Valdosta State, Tampa and Saint Leo were the next teams to place.
Mike Zwijacz was tops among the UT men as he placed sixth at 20:43.73. Peter Licari (19th, 21:19.63), Tory Webb (30th, 21:50.97), Jake Bailey (32nd, 21:52.66) and Mike Leone (43rd, 22:20.24) were also part of the Tampa lineup.
The Spartans return to action on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the USF Open, which will be hosted by the University of South Florida.