CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Sophomore Victoria Swepson raced to the top result for the North Carolina Central University Cross Country Teams at the Royals XC Challenge hosted by Queens University of Charlotte at McAlpine Creek Park on Friday afternoon.
 
In the large women's race that featured 269 finishers, Swepson completed the 5k course in 19:19 to place 78th overall within the top 30-percent of the results. After missing NCCU's last race due to injury, Swepson returned to the lineup and improved her PR by 20 seconds.
 
On the men's side, freshman Emmanuel Paddyfote led the Eagles for a second consecutive race. Paddyfote crossed the men's 8k finish line in the upper half of the field with a time of 27:03, placing 124th out of 257 finishers.
 
A couple other freshman also completed the course less than a minute after Paddyfote. Octavius Smith (27:56) and Corey Little (27:57) joined Paddyfote in running their first collegiate 8k on Friday as NCCU's first two races were a 5k and a 6k.  Senior Isaiah Hunter (28:04) was just behind the trio of rookies and junior Melchoir Ellis (30:08) completed NCCU's team scoring.
 
NCCU's women's cross country team had six harriers all finish within one minute of each other including freshman Gianna Marquez (20:47), freshman Laila Jackson (20:50), freshman Jadiza Jimenez (21:10), sophomore Taylor Hanson (21:25), senior Ariana Harrell (21:39) and sophomore Mylena Beckham (21:46).
 
Marquez had the only PR for the Lady Eagles, improving on her first 5k time by 12 seconds.
 
NCCU men's cross country placed 22nd out of 28 teams and the maroon and gray women finished 25th out of 27 teams. Milligan won the women's race while Augusta claimed the men's title.  
 
NC Central will next compete in the 2022 MEAC Cross Country Championships hosted by Delaware State University in Smyrna, Delaware, on Saturday, October 29.
 
NCCU WOMEN'S 5K INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (269 Finishers)
78. Victoria Swepson (19:19.0)
174. Gianna Marquez (20:47.8)
175. Laila Jackson (20:50.0)
196. Jadiza Jimenez (21:10.2)
211. Taylor Hanson (21:25.7)
218. Ariana Harrell (21:39.5)
223. Mylena Beckham (21:46.4)
 
NCCU MEN'S 8K INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (257 Finishers)
124. Emmanuel Paddyfote (27:03.0)
163. Octavious Smith (27:56.5)
165. Corey Little (27:57.6)
172. Isaiah Hunter (28:04.0)
220. Melchoir Ellis (30:08.3)