With none of its regular varsity runners competing, the Virginia/Panorama Farms Open became a showcase for the team’s middle distance runners.
Virginia’s redshirt freshman Jack St. Marie blew away the competition in the men’s five-kilometer race with a time of 15:21.68, nearly 16 seconds faster than unattached Adam Visokay, who finished second.
Four other Cavaliers competed in the men’s race, and junior Bryan Lewis placed fourth overall with a time of 16:00.32. Sophomore Cody Snyder followed in 11th, junior Anthony Kostelac finished 17th, and sophomore Afolabi Shokunbi came in 23rd.
Unaffiliated runner Haley Pierce captured first place in the women’s competition by running the five-kilometer race in 18:16.69.
The three members of the Virginia women’s team who ran in the Virginia/Panorama Farms Open finished in consecutive spots. Junior Colette Gnade placed 10th with a time of 20:35.34. Junior Natalia Kuhn finished 11th with a time of 20:51.06, and sophomore Vanessa Fabrizio posted a time of 21:28.58 for 12th.
The Virginia cross-country team resumes its journey to the NCAA championships Saturday at the Southeast Regional Championships in Charlotte, N.C.