BOCA RATON, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF cross country team started off the 2019 campaign strong, finishing second at the FAU Cross Country Invitational on Friday evening.
"I'm very excited about this improved starting point from last year," UCF coach Bryan Jackson said. "We finished third last year at this meet and we improved to second this year. I'm very proud of the whole team and the mentality in which they attacked the race."
Six of the seven Knights made either their collegiate or cross country debuts. Four Knights posted Top 25 finishes and all seven finished in the top 50 of the 5K race.
"From an individual standpoint, Jamie Tomassetti was our standout," Jackson said. "I'm very proud of the huge personal best and how she competed in her first college race."
In her UCF debut, Tomassetti finished fourth overall in 18:38.16. Kaitlyn Soltis finished 11th in 19:38.80 and was followed by Haley Riorden, who finished 12th in 19:44.49 in her collegiate debut. Katie Pinnell, in her first cross country race as a Knight, finished 24th in 20:07.99.
Gabrielle LaRock (21.03.99), Vanessa Bolen (21.42.15) and Sel Stuart (22.34.65) all made their collegiate debuts with
The Knights finished second, just behind the host Owls. UCF came in ahead of Nova Southeastern, FIU, FGCU, Miami and Stetson.
UCF returns to action Sept. 14 at the Mountain Dew Invitational in Gainesville.
