ELON – The Elon men's and women's cross country teams will race Friday morning at the Panorama Farms Invitational, hosted by Virginia in Earlysville, Virginia. The women's 6K race will start at 9:30 a.m. ET, followed by the men's 8K at 10:20 a.m. ET.
The event serves as Elon's final competition prior to traveling north to West Long Branch, New Jersey, for the CAA Championships, hosted at Ocean Country Park on Oct. 31.
MEET INFORMATION
- Date & Time: Friday, Oct. 17 | 9:30 a.m. ET (Women's 6K) | 10:20 a.m. ET (Men's 8K)
- Location: Earlysville, Virginia | Panorama Farms
- Live Results: FlashResults.com
WHAT TO KNOW – ELON WOMEN
- Elon's women have placed among the top 10 in all three races this season, including a first-place effort at the Elon Opener on Aug. 29. The Phoenix most recently took 10th place at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, two weeks ago, powered by a runner-up effort from redshirt junior Katie Blount.
- Blount has been explosive this fall, setting Elon 5K and 6K records at the adidas XC Challenge and Paul Short Run, respectively. The Atlanta native clocked 16:41.4 to place eighth at the adidas XC Challenge 5K and break the school record by nearly eight seconds. Two weeks later, Blount smashed the 6K record at the Paul Short Run in 19:37.1, more than 25 seconds better than the former mark.
- Blount has been recognized as the CAA Runner of the Week following both performances.
- Junior Abby Beville has impressed throughout the fall as well, winning the Elon Opener 4K on Aug. 29 in 13:36.6 – she was named CAA Runner of the Week for the performance – before setting a pair of personal records in the 5K and 6K races that followed. Her time of 17:05.2 at the adidas XC Challenge 5K earned her a 12th-place finish and served as the third-fastest mark in program history.
- Elon last competed at the Panorama Farms Invitational in 2019, when the women's squad placed fourth overall.
WHAT TO KNOW – ELON MEN
- The Elon men are coming off an 18th-place finish at the Paul Short Run 8K two weeks ago, where they were led by a personal-record effort of 25:35.9 from Joe Lavelle, who took 51st individually.
- Both sophomore Jack Kane and freshman Juan Pablo Castillo-Zima have been top-three finishers for Elon at the past two races – the adidas XC Challenge 6K and the Paul Short Run 8K – with Kane setting a personal record of 25:56.5 in the 8K event.
- The Phoenix continues to lean on senior leader Caden Strickland, who's personal-best 8K time is 18:39.8 heading into the Panorama Farms Invitational. Strickland was Elon's top finisher at both the Elon Opener 6K (18:47.2) and the adidas XC Challenge 6K (19:09.6).
STAY POSTED
For further coverage of Elon cross country, follow the Phoenix on X (@ElonXCTF) and Instagram (ElonXCTF).
