Oct. 2, 2009
CARY, NC - There was more than one triumphant return to the WakeMed Soccer Park, Friday as the Winston-Salem State Cross Country teams took part in the Great American Cross Country Festival. The event, one of the top cross country events in the east returned to the WakeMed Soccer Park after being held in Hoover, Alabama for the past three years, while the Rams and Lady Rams returned to WakeMed Soccer Park after a strong performance at the Wolfpack Invitational Meet earlier this season.
Among the other events at the festival, the Rams and Lady Rams competed in the Contest of Champions, which featured some of the top teams in the country, including a host of Atlantic Coast Conference teams.
Winston-Salem State freshman Andrew Chebii continued to dominate the 2009 season, finishing second in the men's 8K event with a 24:16. Only Maryland's Alex Lundy was able to cross the finish line just over 30 seconds before Chebii. Chebii was able to take a measure of redemption as he bested UNC-Pembroke's Pardon Ndhlovu, who edged Chebii out of first place at the UNC-Pembroke Invitational earlier this season.
The rest of the Rams continued to post some great times, but the crowded field of runners made placing harder at the event. Sophomore Aaron Barnes had the second best finish for the Rams with a 26th-placed finish among scoring runners and 45th overall with a 26:10 effort in the event. Fellow sophomore Desmond Wiggan added a 54th place finish among scoring runners and placed him 72nd overall with a 27:17. Another Ram freshman Fabian White added another great effort with an 86th place finish and 64th among scoring runners with a time of 27:49.
As a team, the Rams took eighth with 228 total points.
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The Lady Rams also had a strong day with freshman Tyrah Winfrey once again leading the way with a 56th-placed finish overall and 47th among scoring runners. She finished the 5K event in 20:26. The duo of sophomore Ashley Lawson and Manuela Rigaud both had great efforts as well. Lawson finished 78th overall and 63rd among scoring runners with a 21:34 while Rigaud placed 80th overall and 65th among scoring runners with a 21:49.
As a team, the Lady Rams placed 10th with 315 total points.
The Rams will return to action tomorrow as the team will take part in the inaugural Robert Shumaker HBCU Challenge at the Great American Cross Country Festival. For more information on Rams and Lady Rams cross country, contact the WSSU Office of Athletic Media Relations at (336) 750-2909 or log on to www.WSSURams.com.
