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The Paladin men edged Western Carolina on a tiebreaker, while Furman’s women placed second behind Tennessee Tech.
Furman cross country delivered a strong showing Friday at the Tryon Western NC XC Showcase, with the Paladin men claiming the team title and the women finishing runner-up at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina.
The meet also served as a preview of the venue that will host the 2026 Southern Conference Championships.
Furman split its squads Friday, with half of the team competing earlier in the day at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago.
Furman Men Win on Tiebreaker
The Paladin men finished with 38 points, matching Western Carolina for the top team score. Furman earned the victory on the tiebreaker, finishing ahead of Tennessee Tech, VMI and Wofford.
Junior Colin Eckerman led the way individually, winning the men’s 8K in 24:26.5.
Freshman Lucas Tanner followed with a second-place finish in 25:42.9, while freshman Chappell Martin placed sixth at 26:08.0.
Furman also received scoring performances from Connor Demmerle and Ben Winn, who finished 14th and 15th, respectively. Demmerle crossed in 26:28.4, while Winn posted a time of 26:36.2.
Freshman Michael McKnew rounded out the Furman competitors with a 27th-place finish in 26:52.0.
Women Finish Second
The Furman women finished second with 73 points, trailing meet champion Tennessee Tech, which scored 56.
The Paladins finished ahead of SoCon opponents VMI, Western Carolina and Wofford.
Freshman Bridget Dunn paced all collegiate runners in the women’s 5K, winning the individual race in 17:49.9.
Furman freshman Calysta Garmer finished right behind her in second at 18:10.5, giving the Paladins the top two collegiate finishers.
Freshman Jazzlyn Garmer added another strong result, crossing in sixth with a time of 18:23.7. Junior Delaney Vickers finished 17th in 18:45.6, while sophomore Kate Hetzel completed Furman’s team scoring in 51st at 20:43.2.
Next Stop: Wisconsin and Charlotte
Furman will return to competition Oct. 9, with the Paladins scheduled to compete at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin, and the Royals Cross Country Challenge in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Source: Furman Athletics
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