LYNCHBURG, Va. – A pair of freshmen led the charge for Longwood cross country at the Big South preview meet Saturday morning, with newcomer Jon Swartout finishing at the front of the men's lineup and Casey Williams leading the women's team.
 
Running on the same course where the 2017 Big South Championships will be held on Oct. 28, Swartout clocked a 31:39.2 8K on the newly unveiled Liberty course to place 36th, his highest finish to date. Williams, meanwhile, set a personal best with a 22:20.8 on the 5Kto place 34th to pace the Longwood women on the hilly trail.
 
Longwood was one of five Big South teams to compete in the conference preview, joining Liberty, High Point, UNC Asheville and Radford. The regionally ranked Liberty men took top honors with 19 points and a 26:58 in their race, while High Point won the women's side with 19 points and a 19:12.
 
The Lancer men were without their top runner, Leon Beard, who missed the meet with an illness. Beard had logged eight consecutive top team finishes since his sophomore season, including a senior debut this season in which he came within two seconds of breaking the school's all-time 6K record at the Hokie Invitational on Sept. 1.
 
Assuming Beard's place at the front of the Longwood contingent was Swartout, who had logged a pair of second-place team finishes – behind only Beard – in the first two races of his collegiate career.
 
Following Swartout were junior John Bapties (33:38.6) in 39th, Alex Dembek (34:17.8) in 40th, Ron Gyamfi (37:53.1) in 42nd and Chrishon Dollard in 43rd.
 
Williams was one of five Lancer women to best her 5K time from the previous race, the JMU Invitational, trimming nearly a full minute off the 23:10 she recorded in her collegiate debut to place 34th Saturday. Team runner-up Kasey Laign followed Williams with a 24:24.5 to place 42nd, followed by Miranda Wilson (24:41.0) in 43rd, Casey Ripp (25:21.4) in 44th, M.E. Lazorchak (25:31.3) in 45th), Kate Spradlin (26:52.0) in 47th and Ashley Allen (32:19.5) in 48th.
 
Along with Williams, Wilson, Ripp, Lazorchak and Allen all improved their time from last week's race at New Market Battlefield.
 
The Big South Preview race signals the end of three consecutive race weekends for the Lancers, who will now have nearly a month to prepare for the High Point Vert XC Invitational on Friday, Oct. 13, in High Point, N.C.
 
Big South Preview
Sept. 16, 2017
Lynchburg, Va.
 
Longwood Men's Individual Results (8K, 43 participants)
36. Jon Swartout (31:39.2)
39. John Bapties (33:38.6)
40. Alex Dembek (34:17.8)
42. Ron Gyamfi (37:53.1)
43. Chrishon Dollard (42:12.6)
 
Men's Team Results
1. Liberty (26:58, 19 points)
2. UNC Asheville (28:33, 71 points)
3. Radford (28:34, 72 points)
4. High Point (28:58, 83 points)
5. Longwood (35:57, 149 points)
 
Longwood Women's Individual Results (5K, 48 participants)
34. Casey Williams (22:20.8)
42. Kasey Laign (24:24.5)
43. Miranda Wilson (24:41.0)
44. Casey Ripp (25:21.4)
45. M.E. Lazorchak (25:31.3)
47. Kate Spradlin (26:52.0)
48. Ashley Allen (32:19.5)
 
Women's Team Results
1. High Point (19:12, 19 points)
2. Liberty (19:39, 43 points)
3. UNC Asheville (20:44, 84 points)
4. Radford (21:05, 91 points)
5. Longwood (24:28, 147 points)
 
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