McClay Posts Top 25 Time to Lead Gardner-Webb Cross Country at Season-Opening Meet on Friday Evening
August 31, 2013 | Cross Country
Cullowhee, N.C. - Gardner-Webb's women's cross country team posted a 10th place team finish andGWU's men's cross country team earned a 9th place finish in both squad's season-opening meet Friday at the 2013 Western Carolina Cross Country Invitational.
Freshman Jenna Ford (Wasilla, Alaska) led Gardner-Webb in the women's 2 mile run, racing to a time of 12:13.34 in her first-ever collegiate race. Ford finished in 34th place overall.
Katie Spiro and Claire Cates also posted top 75 times in the event for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Spiro crossed the finish line at 13:28.79, while Cates finished with a time of 13:37.68.
Senior Megan Frost (14:33.83) and sophomore Kaitlyn Washburn (17:14.51) rounded out GWU's top five runners in the women's 2 mile run on Friday.
Mike McClay led the Runnin' Bulldog men in the 5K race. The senior from Lawrenceville, Ga. opened the cross country season by running 15:53.13, good for 21st place in an event won by University of Florida senior Mark Parrish (14:50.06).
Fellow Runnin' Bulldog senior Trey Crook was second-fastest for GWU, finishing with a time of 18:08.10. Freshman James Haynes (18:39.13) and senior Drew Ford (18:40.55) also posted top 100 times at the meet.
Nick Rogers rounded out GWU's top five. The junior raced to a time of 19:13.32 in the men's 5K.
GWU's men's and women's cross country teams will take next weekend off before resuming competition on Saturday, September 14 at the UNC Asheville Cross Country Carnival.
