BLACKSBURG, Va. – Longwood senior Leon Beard Jr. earned another spot on a Longwood top-10 list, this time running the third-fastest 6K in school history Friday afternoon at the Hokie Open at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course on Virginia Tech's campus.
 
Competing in Longwood's final tune-up before next Friday's NCAA Southeast Regional, Beard logged a 20:03 on Virginia Tech's 6K course to tie his own mark for the third-best in school history. That time trailed only the 19:38 Beard clocked in 2016 and Darren Simpson's school-record 19:36 from 2010.

Beard, who placed 15th in the race, was the only non-Virginia Tech runner to finish in the race's top 15, securing that spot with a 5:22.6 pace. The performance gives Beard three of the top five times in school history in the 6K distance, adding to a career resume that already includes Longwood's all-time 10K record that he set at regionals last season.
 
On the women's side, freshman ace Casey Williams led the way once again with a team-best 15th-place finish at a time of 16:22.8 in the 4K. That marked the fourth consecutive race in which Williams was the first Lancer across the finish line.

Williams was one of three Lancers to notch top-20 finishes, finishing ahead of team captain Miranda Wilson, who placed 19th with a 17:55.2, and junior Kasey Laign, who placed 20th with an 18:12.7.
 
On the men's side, freshman Jon Swartout joined Beard in the top 20, placing 19th with a 21:42.5. Swartout, a product of New Kent, Va., has now finished among Longwood's top two in every race this season.
 
The Hokie Open is the Lancers' final race before the NCAA Southeast Regional, which takes place next Friday, Nov. 10, in Charlottesville, Va.
 
Hokie Open
November 3, 2017
Blacksburg, Va.
 
Longwood Women's Individual Results (4K – 27 participants)
15. Casey Williams (16:22.8)
19. Miranda Wilson (17:55.2)
20. Kasey Laign (18:12.7)
21. Madison Winters (19:00.5)
27. M.E. Lazorchak (23:41.0)
 
Women's Team Results
1. UNC Greensboro (1:20:19, 18 points)
2. Longwood (1:27:43, 37 points)
3. Ferrum (1:51: 44, 65 points)
 
Longwood Men's Individual Results (6K, 38 participants)
15. Leon Beard (20:03.4)
19. Jon Swartout (21:42.5)
22. John Bapties (22:53.9)
26. Ron Gyamfi (23:57.2)
30. Chrishon Dollard (24:55.6)
33. Jake Baker (25:39.4)
34. Marcel Guzman (26:08.4
 
Men's Team Results
1. Virginia Tech (1:33:53, 23 points)
2. Virginia Tech – Unattached (1:35:18, 32 points)
3. Longwood (1:53:33, 79 points)
4. Bluefield State (1:58:16, 90 points)
5. Ferrum (2:19:25, 124 points)
 
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