Emma Flynn lowered the Bluefield State 5-kilometer school record for the second time this season and four Big Blue runners earned career-best marks, propelling the B-State women earned a top-ten team finish amongst some of the top NCAA Division II squads in the southeastern region Friday at the Royals Challenge hosted by Queens University at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte.
Flynn's time of 20:28 improved on her existing school-best mark, set earlier this season at Roanoke. Her effort earned her a 15th-place finish in the scoring table. Freshman Kellie Williams knocked nearly 30 seconds off her lifetime best mark, crossing the line in 26th place. Nikki Walker (54th), Abbey Pucket (77th), and Khrisalyn Kegler (96th) rounded out the scoring five for B-State. In total, the field included 199 runner from 39 teams, with 25 full-squads finishing.
For the Bluefield State coaching staff, a top-ten finish was the aim, and the team produced on a big stage.
"To finish just a few points behind a program like Mount Olive, which has been a force in the region for years, and to be within striking distance of squads like Tusculum and Lees-McRae is really a testament to the hard work our team has put in this year and the training design Coach Rachael has implemented with this team," said Bluefield State Head Cross Country Coach Brooks Rexroat.
"Our athletes had to charge out a little harder than we're used to in this one to get good positioning on the trail, but we were able to settle into a good group of paces," Rexroat said. "Our full scoring squad finished in the top half, which we're thrilled about. Emma continues to show that she's among the best athletes in the USCAA, and we continue to fare very well against our peer programs, both in the NCAA Division II ranks and amongst eastern U.S. HBCU institutions. The progress has been tremendous, and we continue to be incredibly proud of this group and what they continue accomplishing."
B-State will next toe the starting line Friday afternoon at Roanoke University's Green Hill Park course. The men begin at 5 p.m. with the women following at 5:50. The race will conclude B-State's regular season and lead in to the USCAA Championships, set for Nov. 11 at Bells Mills Park in Chesapeake, VA.
