SPARTANSBURG, SC - In a the final regular season meet before the looming postseason, the Stetson Hatters' cross country teams took to the Milliken Research Center in Spartanburg, SC, for the Upstate Invite hosted by USC Upstate on October 14. This fiercely competitive event, featuring 32 women's teams and 27 men's teams, saw 279 finishers in the women's race and 275 in the men's. 

The men's team secured the 12th position in the standings, amassing 329 points as they conquered the challenging 8K course. Their scoring order was as follows: 52-58-65-76-78(79)(105), and their collective time of 2 hours, 10 minutes, and 31 seconds showed their resilience, with an average finish time of 26 minutes and 7 seconds.

On the women's side, the Hatters secured a commendable 15th position among the field of 32 teams. Their total points stood at 425 in the grueling 5K race, collectively completing it in 1 hour, 36 minutes, and 10 seconds. Their average finish time was a notable 19 minutes and 14 seconds.

Leading the charge for the men's team was Collin Brooks, who valiantly clinched the 61st position with a swift time of 25 minutes and 48.4 seconds. Following close on his heels, Conrad Voigt secured the 69th spot with a time of 25 minutes and 59.1 seconds. Eduardo Diaz Deanda contributed to the team's performance by finishing 76th in 26 minutes and 6.6 seconds. Patrick Pitts maintained a strong showing, ending up in the 92nd position with a time of 26 minutes and 17.5 seconds.

"Conrad with a PR, he stepped up and we were really happy with that. Eduardo had a PR, went out hard, kinda faltered at the end but still got a PR and in two weeks I think he will definitely step up for us. Patrick is starting to come back from battles early in the season,so we're getting him back on track and we're excited about that," said Head Coach Nathan Christianson

The team's consistency shone as Seth Singer and Robbie Champa crossed the finish line at 26 minutes and 20.2 seconds and 26 minutes and 22.1 seconds, respectively, securing the 98th and 100th positions. The Hatters' roster was rounded out by Michael Petrovic, who finished in 140th place with a time of 27 minutes and 2.4 seconds, and Luke Danison, who completed the race in 27 minutes and 38.6 seconds, securing the 171st position.

"Pretty challenging course today, actually tougher than Florida State, but we still had some decent performances. Collin had a tough day but still came through as our number 1," said Christianson. "Our guys got boxed in early in the race and we were kinda getting out of that,some guys probably helped because they didn't have a fast start but I think that kind of affected him a little bit."

Blair Durda spearheaded the women's team, finishing 30th with an impressive time of 18 minutes and 2.9 seconds. Juliet Tonkin followed closely, securing the 44th position with a time of 18 minutes and 31.8 seconds. Annabelle Brink and Madison Niederriter contributed to the team's effort, finishing 123rd and 126th, respectively, with times of 19 minutes and 39.5 seconds and 19 minutes and 41.5 seconds. Taylor Cushenberry secured the 161st position with a time of 20 minutes and 14.4 seconds. Madeleine Empric showcased her determination by crossing the finish line at 21 minutes and 0.5 seconds, earning the 202nd spot.

"On the ladies side, we were 15th overall which is decent. Blair finally back, really excited with her performance. Annabella had a heck of a day, really proud of her and a PR for her, great day for her," said Christianson.

Next up the Stetson Hatters' cross country teams will head into the postseason. Their next challenge will be the ASUN Championship in Nashville, scheduled for Saturday, October 28, at 9:00 AM.

 About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter . For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics For a recap of the week's notable stories, sign up for the Stetson Athletics Newsletter HERE