Cross Country Only Invitational: Men's Results
Cross Country Only Invitational: Women's Results

MECHANICSVILLE, Va. – Junior Gracie Piekarski blew away her 5K career best and recorded the highest finish of her collegiate career, placing eighth at the Cross Country Only National Invitational Saturday at Pole Green Park.
 
Piekarski finished the course in 19:09.4 to beat 40 of the 47 other women's entries and surpass her previous 5K personal best by 50 seconds. Her performance, along with personal-best times from Longwood's other four women's entries – Kelsey Peace (29th), Anna Butrowicz (37th), Erica Mawyer (40th) and Judy May (44th) – propelled the Lancers to a fourth-place team finish with an average time of 21:58.06.
 
Longwood's men claimed a top-five finish as well with an average time of 28:36.64 thanks to another top performance from Lancer frontrunner Russell Reed, who crossed the finish line in 27:28.5 to place 21st out of 59 entries.
 
"This was a big day for the women, each having a personal best," said ninth-year Longwood head coach Catherine Hanson. "I'm confident this trend will continue into the Big South Championships in two weeks. Piekarski should break 19 minutes after conferences at the Adidas 3-Stripe Meet."
 
Piekarski's top-10 result is the latest is a string of top team finishes for the junior harrier, who has clocked the Longwood women's fastest time in every race this season. The South Plainfield, N.J., native cracked the 5K 20-minute barrier for the first time in her career and shaved 1:49 off her time at last year's Cross Country Only Invitational.
 
Along with Piekarski, Peace also reached a milestone by breaking 21 minutes for the first time in her two-year career. The sophomore placed 29th with a time of 20:37.3 as Longwood's second-place finisher for the fourth straight event.
 
On the men's side, Longwood's top three runners cross the finish line as a pack, with Reed leading the way in 21st place, followed by sophomore Leon Beard in 22nd and Johnny Leder in 24th. Beard clocked a personal-best 27:37.8 to trail Reed by just over nine seconds, while Leder was among the 26 entries to break the 28-minute mark. Longwood's No. 4 and No. 5 runners, Andrew Lanier (29:09.9) and John Bapties (30:54.7) also set personal bests in the five-mile run.
 
"The men had three personal bests, and Leon stepped up," Hanson said. "That helps the third and fourth guys step up too."
 
Longwood will now have two weeks to prepare for the 2015 Big South Cross Country Championships in Spartanburg, S.C., on Oct. 31. The Lancer men placed eighth in the event in 2014, while the women took 10th.
 
Cross Country Only National Invitational
October 17, 2015
Mechanicsville, Va. (Pole Green Park)
 
Longwood Men's Individual Results (5 Miles – 59 entries)
21. Russell Reed (27:28.5)
22. Leon Beard (27:37.8)
24. John Leder (27:52.3)
37. Andrew Lanier (29:09.9)
45. John Bapties (30:54.7)
 
Men's Team Results
1. Richmond (25:34.98 – 22 points)
2. Marshall (26:19.02 – 52 points)
3. Austin Peay (26:35.54 – 67 points)
4. Mercer (26:57.58 (82 points)
5. Longwood (28:36.64 – 143 points)
6. SUNYIT (28:46.26 – 164 points)
7. Southern Virginia (31:08.65 – 203 points)
8. Chowan (34:47.72 – 236 points)
 
Longwood Women's Individual Results (5 Kilometers – 48 entries)
8. Gracie Piekarski (19:09.4)
29. Kelsey Peace (20:37.3)
37. Anna Butrowicz (22:00.0)
40. Erica Mawyer (23:11.9)
44. Judy May (24:51.7)
 
Women's Team Results
1. Marshall (18:55.26 – 29 points)
2. Mercer (19:14.34 – 48 points)
3. Austin Peay (19:33.68 – 66 points)
4. Longwood (21:58.06 – 124 points)
5. Southern Virginia (21:30.46 – 126 points)
6. Chowan (25:37.86 – 167 points)