Results

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – The Norfolk State women's cross country team put together its best performance of the season to date on Saturday at the Cappy Anderson Invitational hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Each of the Spartans' top five finishers ran a season-best 5,000-meter time, helping NSU place fourth in the 10-team field.

NSU finished with 133 points, trailing only Towson (17), Pitt (60) and UMES (109).

Leading the way were junior Kellen Rutto and freshman Kassandra Irizarry, who both broke 20 minutes and placed in the top 25 overall. Rutto ran a time of 19 minutes, 49.38 seconds to place 21st, 20th toward the team total. Irizarry was 25th overall (23rd toward team standing) in a season-best 19:58.82.

Fellow freshman Ariel Bartice-Smith was third among Spartan runners. She crossed the finish line 31st overall, earning NSU 28 points. Her time was 20:16.47. Seniors Jamia Hutto and Syeeda Gee rounded out the Spartans' top five. Hutto was 35th (30 team points) in 20:44.24, and Gee was 37th (32) in 20:57.85.

The Spartans' next competition is this coming Friday at the Towson Invitational.