Florida Gators
FL Runners Invitational 14
Men's XC Captures Top Honors at FLRunners.com Invitational 14 Friday in Titusville
Saturday, September 28, 2013 | Cross Country
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- Freshman cross country athlete Carlos Miranda notched his first collegiate victory as a Gator in the men's 5k at the FLRunners.com Invitational 14 at Chain of Lakes Park in Titusville, Fla., as Florida took top honors in the men's college competition Friday evening.
Miranda turned in a personal best 15:17.60, topping his Western Carolina Invitational mark by nearly 18 seconds. For Miranda, the race victory was a familiar feeling after the first-year Gator won the boys high school race last season as a senior at Palmetto Ridge. Miranda held off second-place finisher Carl Dunne from St. Leo (15:18.50) down the stretch, while teammates Elliot Clemente (15:28.10), Mac Reynolds (15:31.60), Harsha Torke (15:41.10), and Mark Mutz (16:06.90) followed in suit.
WORTH NOTING
· In addition to Miranda, Clemente, Reynolds and Torke all ran personal-best 5k marks in Friday evening's competition. For Mutz, the race was his first official 5k as a Gator
SPANGLER SPEAKS
Florida assistant track and cross country coach Paul Spangler
“Tonight was a solid race for the men, with Carlos winning. It was a great victory for him, as he also won here last year in high school. Carlos, Mac, Elliot and Harsha worked together most of the race. Carlos did an excellent job holding of a challenge from the runner-up in the final 400m of the race this evening.”
NEXT UP
Florida's women's team will be the next Gator running squad in action as UF will compete in the Disney Cross Country Classic in Orlando Oct. 12. Florida will then face a midseason test at the top-25 saturated Wisconsin adidas Invite Oct. 19. The University of Florida will play host to the 2013 SEC Championships Nov. 1 at UF's Mark Bostick Golf Course. For all info about the Gator cross country squads, stay posted to www.GatorZone.com/crosscountry.
FOLLOW THE GATORS
Facebook & Twitter: @GatorZoneXCntry, @GZTrackField
FL RUNNERS INVITE 14 GATOR RESULTS
Collegiate Results (via Elite Timing and Event Management)
1. Carlos Miranda, 15:17.60 *
3. Elliot Clemente, 15:28.10 *
4. Mac Reynolds, 15:31.60 *
5. Harsha Torke, 15:41.10 *
11. Mark Mutz, 16:06.90 *
* personal-best 5k
