Salem, Va -- The Roanoke College Cross Country programs are hosting the 2019 Roanoke Invitational--ODAC Preview at Green Hill Park in Salem this Saturday.
The Maroon men and women teams come into the meet after both placing first at the Golden Bear Classic where the team dodged oppressive heat and thunderstorms to get in their first team competition.
The Maroon men are led by returners Chamberlain Zulauf, Peter Smith, and Nathaniel Willis. Zulauf finished atop the leaderboard for the Maroons last week with a time of 13:07.9 placing 3rd overall.
Peter Smith came in fifth with a time of 13:21.1, while Nathaniel Willis finished in eighth-place with a time of 13:27.7.
Additionally, senior Tyler Barret clocked a time of 13:37.9 to finish 12th. Josh Fretwell, a freshman from Cave Spring, VA, was 14th with a time of 13:38.8
The Maroon women are led by freshman Emma Maras and top returner Hannah Koepfinger. Maras was the top finisher for the maroons finishing with a time of 16:34.9 followed by Koepfinger's 17:02.9.
Newcomers Lauren Brown (17:05.4) and Ashley Brown (17:56), sisters, finished seventh and fourteenth overall, respectively to help pace the Maroons to the win.
Abbey Packard, a junior, was 18th overall with a time of 18:46.4.
The Roanoke Invitational meet will feature the defending ODAC Champions Washington and Lee, and CIAA Champions Fayetteville State (Women) and Virginia State (Men) along with 23 other colleges and universities.
The men's race 8k race begins at 9:20am. Women's 6k race begins at 10:20am.