Men's Cross Country | September 7, 2023

MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State University cross country teams kickoff their 2023 season on Friday evening. Both teams are looking to improve upon six place finishes at the 2022 Peach Belt Conference meet last season.  This season, the PBC coaches picked the Laker men's team to finish fifth while they picked the women's team to finish in sixth.    
 
MEET VITALS
Host: Georgia Military College
Meet Name: 5^th Annual GMC Brickyard Invitational
Location: Council Farms | Milledgeville, Ga.
Time: Men (8K): 5:45 p.m. | Women (5K): 6:45 p.m.
 
THE SCHEDULE
After the Lakers run in the GMC Brickyard Invitational, both teams travel to the Julius Johnson Invitational on Saturday, September 16^th down at Mercer University.  The Lakers then host the Asics Alexander Invitational at Bouckaert Farms in Fairburn, Ga. This meet will also feature numerous high school races. 
 
In its final tune up before conference, Clayton State will then head to Huntsville, Ala. to race in the UAH Charger XC Invitational on Saturday, October 7^th.  The Lakers then finish the season with the PBC meet on Saturday, October 21^st and the NCAA Southeast Regional Meet on Saturday, November 4^th.  Both meets are hosted by the University of North Georgia. 
 
THE WOMEN'S TEAM
The Laker women's cross country team brings back a lot of experience from last season.  Coach Troy Hickom returns his top three runners from last season in Jada Warren, Tanaeya Johnson, and Ahlana Failey.  All three Lakers finished in the top three in each meet last season. 
 
A native of Milledgeville, Ga., Warren went sub-20-minutes in three of the five meets last year.  In the opening meet at North Georgia last season, Warren ran the 25^th fastest time in school history clocking a time of 19:46.0.  Jada also crossed the finish line in the top-25 individually in three of five meets.  A native of Chandler, Ariz., Johnson returns after she was consistently the second or third fastest runner on the team last season.  The Laker senior placed in the top-40 in three of the five races last season and saw her best time come in the Asics Alexander Invitational with a time of 20:41.1.  A native of Jessup, Ga., Failey returns after having a huge impact on the team last season.  Failey was neck-and-neck with Johnson as the second or third fastest on the team last season. 
 
Also returning for the Lakers is Ivorie Smith and JaBresha Palmer.  Both ladies are looking to have excellent sophomore seasons.  Coach Hickom welcomes Story Alexander and Mikayla Osborne to the team.  Alexander was a two-time NJCAA National qualifier and a two-time all-region selection at Mesa CC, while Osborne was an All-PBC track runner last season for Coach Brown. 
 
THE MEN'S TEAM
Coach Hickom returns most of the team from a year ago.  The most impactful returners include Rakiem Barnes and Camron Gaddis.  Barnes, who enters his sophomore season, was either the fastest or second fastest runner in three of the four meets he competed in.  Barnes saw his best finish come in the West Georgia meet where he led the team clocking a final time of 28:42.19.  Gaddis, who also enters his sophomore season, led the Lakers or was second on the team in four of five meets in 2022.  He led the team at the Asics Alexander Invite and saw his best time come at the D2 Festival Showcase with a time of 27:58.7. 
 
The Lakers also return Sancho Smith, Lance Little, Terry Mitchner, and Kharyi Davis who are looking to make a huge impact on the team this season. Coach Hickom welcomes freshmen newcomers Nevin Swanson, Mykell Strickland, Danny Ortega, and Nehemiah Horton, who all had excellent high school careers. 
 
HEAD COACH PROFILE
Head coach Troy Hickom enters his first season at the helm of the Laker cross country.  He is only the second coach in the program history, replacing Mike Mead, who coached the team since its inception in 1995.  Troy is very familiar with Clayton State after running track & field and cross country from 2013-17 and served as a Graduate Assistant for Coach Mead from 2017-2020.  In his four-year career as a Laker, He was selected as a PBC Team of Academic Distinction honoree a total of five times, three in cross country and two in outdoor track & field. This is a not an honor that is available until a student-athlete reaches sophomore standing and he accomplished that feat every season he was eligible. The PBC does not sponsor indoor track & field and Hickom did not compete in track & field as a senior.  In his 25 meets competed in, between track and cross country, Hickom totaled a first-place finish, and three runners-up finishes and is currently 15^th in program history in the 8K with a final time of 26:21.6. 
 
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