Gators Show Promise in “Show Me” State, Perform Well in Gans Creek Classic

Friday, September 27

Columbia, MO

TBA

Florida Gators

Gans Creek Classic

Gators Show Promise in “Show Me” State, Perform Well in Gans Creek Classic

Friday, September 27, 2024 | Cross Country

The Gator women finished fourth and the men tenth in their second regular season meets of the year.

By: Mac Fisher

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Gators performed well in their second regular-season contest, with the Men taking tenth-place (291 points) and the Women finishing fourth (131 points) in the Gans Creek Classic on Friday morning. New Gators dominated the day, with a whopping eight of Florida's ten combined scorers each participating in their first season for the Orange and Blue.

The Men opened the day's action with a strong showing in their 8k race, as the Freshman trio of Jonathan Leon (36), Riley Smith (48), and Riley Novack (67) led the way. Novack's late push in the final 1000m (2:55.6) was the best split of Florida's entire race, and his late efforts pushed him from 86^th to 67^th in the final 2k. Matthew Stratton (72) and Ethan Geiger (77) rounded out Florida's top-five.

On the Women's side, three transfer additions led the way for Florida in their Gator debuts, as Bethan Morley (6), Tia Wilson (11), and Caroline Wells (12) crossed the line first for Florida. Wilson, Wells, and Reagan Gilmore (13) each crossed the line in quick succession, before Ashley Klingenberg (97) finished the Gators' top-five.

The Gators' next race is set for October 11, when the Gators go up the road to Tallahassee for the FSU XC Invite.

Men – 10th (291 points)			Women – 4th (131 points)
Place	Name	Time	Place (score)	Name	Time
36 (35)	Jonathan Leon	23:57.7	6 (6)	Bethan Morley	20:08.3
48 (46)	Riley Smith	24:03.6	11 (11)	Tia Wilson	20:08.3
67 (65)	Riley Novack	24:20.9	12 (12)	Caroline Wells	20:20.1
72 (70)	Matthew Stratton	24:24.4	13 (13)	Reagan Gilmore	20:21.0
77 (75)	Ethan Geiger	24:26.4	97 (89)	Ashley Klingenberg	21:34.3
117 (112)*	Josh Ruiz	24:43.3	111 (102)*	Breanna Stuart	21:42.6
123 (118)*	Matt Mule'	24:44.4	146 (131)*	Ashley Fitzgerald	22:01.3
125	Michael Fiore	24:44.9	197	Kate Drummond	22:34.9
150	Emerson Miller	24:59.2

Team Finishes – Top 10
Men
Stanford (31)
Tennessee (163)
Auburn (167)
Missouri (180)
Kentucky (185)
Lipscomb (213)
Ole Miss (238)
UNF (271)
Illinois State (280)
Florida (291)

Women
Stanford (44)
Tennessee (91)
Ole Miss (120)
Florida (131)
Georgia Tech (164)
Auburn (182)
Air Force (189)
Tulsa (214)
Kentucky (243)
Missouri (336)