Men's Cross Country | October 25, 2024

GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The Clayton State University cross country teams are geared up and ready to take on the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Championships on Saturday morning.  The men's team was picked to finish fifth in the conference while the women were picked to finish sixth in the Preseason Poll that came out earlier this season. 
 
MEET INFORMATION
LOCATION: UNG Cross Country Course | Oakwood, Ga.
TIME: Men (8K): 9 a.m. | Women (5K): 10:15 a.m.
ADMISSION PRICE: Free
LIVE RESULTS
LIVE STREAM
 
THOUGHTS FROM COACH TROY HICKOM
"Our teams are primed and ready to crush the racecourse this weekend at the PBC Championship. The men's team has a great chance to solidify our highest-place finish in over a decade. We are deep with young talent and will do great in the future, but we must perform now. Our ladies also have the opportunity to match or beat our performance from last year. The top group of ladies have stepped up big this season and I expect nothing less on Saturday."
 
MEN'S SIDE
The men's cross country team is led by junior captain Camron Gaddis.  At the Royals XC Challenge, Camron climbed up the record books and ran the 11^th fastest time in program history clocking a time of 26:11.9.  In last year's championships, Gaddis finished in 40^th place.  This season, his best finish came at the GMC Brickyard Invitational with a fifth-place finish.  He has led the team in all four races this season.  Following Gaddis is freshman Emanuel Dixon and junior Rakiem Barnes.  The tandem of Barnes and Dixon have finished in either second or third on the team consistently this season.  Both Barnes' and Dixon's best time came at the Julius Johnson Invitational clocking times of 26:19.6 and 26:15.3, respectively. 
 
Sophomores Nehemiah Horton and Mykell Strickland also have had breakout 2024 campaigns.  Both Horton and Strickland have finished in the top five on the team on each of the four races this season.  The Lakers are looking for their first top-four finish since 2011 when they finished third overall. 
 
WOMEN'S SIDE
The women's cross country team is led by senior Story Alexander.  Alexander ran the fastest time this season for the ladies as she finished in 20:00.2 minutes at the Julius Johnson Invitational on September 21^st.  Story has also finished first in two of four races competed in. 
 
Following Alexander is Marley Tate and Ivorie Smith.  Tate, in her first season as Laker, has made a huge impact on the team as she has finished in the top three on the team in all four races competed in.  Marley has three top 30 finishes this season as well and ran her fastest time at the Royals XC Challenge (20:22.4) on October 11^th.  Smith, who was appointed the captain of the team, has also finished in the top three on the team in all four races.   Ivorie ran her best time of the season at the Julius Johnson Invitational on September 21^st. 
 
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