CARY, N.C. – All five scoring runners for the North Carolina Central University men's cross country team finished in the top-10 of the field to lead the Eagles to their third team victory of the season, winning the Cedric Walker HBCU Challenge as part of the 2021 Great American XC Festival on Saturday at the WakeMed Soccer Complex.
 
The Eagles, who also won the UNCW Beach Blast and the Greensboro XC Festival, had three of the top four finishers on the way to the team victory over fellow HBCU's Virginia State University, Bowie State University, Shaw University and Livingstone University.
 
NCCU's top three runners all finished within one minute of each other to place second, third and fourth. Redshirt senior Juan Rodriguez led the maroon and gray across the finish line of the 8,000-meter course to finish runner-up with a time of 26:45. Rodriguez was just 25 seconds behind the race winner, Mathew Kiptum of Shaw. Junior Isaiah Hunter (3rd/27:17) and senior Ashton Drake (4th/27:37) were also within 90 seconds of the winner.
 
Sophomore Leroy Scarver (6th/27:50) and Mackenson Yrelus (10th/28:56) completed NCCU's scoring quintet with their respective top-10 performances. Senior Joshua McLean (14th/29:29) and freshman Alex Garcia (15th/29:34) helped displace the other teams scoring runners to help NCCU cruise to a 45-point victory.
 
NCCU only had four harriers compete on the women's side, but the Eagles still had three Lady Eagles earn top-10 results.
 
Freshman Victoria Swepson cruised to a third-place result to lead NCCU in the 5k women's race. Swepson was just one of three finishers to break the 20-minute barrier with a time of 19:52.
 
Junior Ariana Harrell (8th/21:14) and senior Chayil Townsend (10th/21:23) also clocked in within the first 10 finishers to highlight competition for the women.
 
NC Central will next have four weeks to prep for the 2021 MEAC Cross Country Championships, which the Eagles will host for the first time at the same WakeMed Soccer Complex on Saturday, October 30.
 
Cedric Walker HBCU Challenge – Men's 8k
 
Team Results (5 Programs)
1. NC Central (23 points)
 
Individual Results (40 Runners)
2. Juan Rodriguez (26:45.6)
3. Isaiah Hunter (27:17.2)
4. Ashton Drake (27:37.6)
6. Leroy Scarver (27:50.2)
10. Mackenson Yrelus (28:56.2)
14. Joshua McLean (29:29.3)
15. Alex Garcia (29:34.9)
17. Melchior Ellis (30:13.1)
21. Jacob Irving (30:59.8)
26. Neco Johnson (32:00.7)
 
Cedrick Walker HBCU Challenge – Women's 5k
 
Individual Results (49 Runners)
3. Victoria Swepson (19:52.1)
8. Ariana Harrell (21:14.3)
10. Chayil Townsend (21:23.9)
22. Taylor Hanson (23:03.0)