SMYRNA, Del. – Senior Rachel Ozio and graduate student Laderique McNeill posted the best individual finishes at the MEAC Cross Country Championship in North Carolina Central University program history in leading the Eagles to a pair of third place finishes at the 2023 edition of the league championship hosted by Delaware State University at the DSU Outreach & Research Center on Saturday.
 
The third place team results are new program-best results since the Eagles joined the league at the start of the 2011-12 season. On the women's side, NCCU has had its best finish at the MEAC Championships for a second straight season with the third-place performance in 2023 beating last year's previous best fifth-place result by two positions. The men moved up one spot after finishing a previous-best fourth place each of the last two seasons in 2021 and 2022.
 
A total of six Eagles raced to All-MEAC honors – three in each race – which is the most award winners for both NCCU cross country programs in a single-season yet.
 
WOMEN
 
Ozio was the women's 5k runner-up with a time of 18:45. She was just over 20 second off the winning time of 18:24.9 by Norfolk State's Mercyline Kimaiyo.
 
Ozio set two NCCU program MEAC Championship race records that were previously set and held by four-time All-MEAC honoree Amber Brooks in 2013. Ozio's second place finish is NCCU's top result in the MEAC Championships since the Eagles joined the league in 2011-12, topping a seventh-place performance by Brooks in 2013. Ozio's time of 18:45 was also the fastest 5k time for any Eagle in the MEAC Championship, nipping an 18:47 performance by Brooks in 2013.
 
Sophomores Laila Jackson and Gianna Marquez joined Ozio as All-MEAC performers as they all finished in the top-15 individuals out of the 55 finishers at the championship. Jackson was more than two minutes faster than her time last season to secure ninth place overall with a total time of 19:43. Marquez also improved from her rookie campaign, improving by 24 seconds with a time of 20:18 to finish 13th overall.
 
NCCU's top six runners also finished in the upper half of the field. Junior Zinash Valen missed All-MEAC honors by one position, settling for 16th place with a time of 20:35. Sophomore Jadiza Jimenez rounded out the top-5 scoring runners for the Eagles, placing 20th with a time of 20:42. Junior Victoria Swepson, a two-time All-MEAC performer, posted her first finish in over a month due to injury to slip inside the top-25 with a time of 21:28.
 
Norfolk State (30 points) won the women's team title with the top five scoring Spartans all finishing in the top-10. Howard (49) was second place and NCCU (60) rounded out the top-3 teams. Finishing 4th-8th in order were Delaware State (83), Morgan State (120), South Carolina State (182), Maryland Eastern Shore (195) and Coppin State (231).
 
MEN
 
McNeill broke the same two program race records as Ozio did one hour earlier for the men with his 8k performance of 26:37 that was good for seventh place overall out of 48 finishers. McNeill is the first NCCU men's cross country runner to place in the top-10 of the MEAC Championships with his seventh place finish. His time was also NCCU's first 8k time under 27 minutes in the annual league event.
 
Sophomore Emmanuel Paddyfote crossed the finish line in 27:58 to garner 12th place for a second straight season, having now earned All-MEAC honors in each of her first two collegiate league championships. Paddyfote's two 12th place finishes are the next two best individual finishes in NCCU's dozen appearances in the MEAC XC Championships behind McNeill's run on Saturday.
 
Sophomore Corey Little joined McNeill and Paddyfote as an All-MEAC honoree by finishing the 8k 28:06, which was good for 14th place overall.
 
A group of four freshmen all made their first appearance in the MEAC XC Championships on Saturday with Ryan Chong (28:37) and Donald Moore (31:47) rounding out NCCU's top-5 scoring times. Chong just missed All-MEAC laurels with his 17th place result.
 
Norfolk State (18) had the top-four individual finishers on the way to winning the team title. Delaware State (71) and NCCU (81) rounded out the podium while finishing 4th to 8th in order were Morgan State (98), Maryland Eastern Shore (110), Howard (138), Coppin State (170) and South Carolina State (171).
 
NCCU WOMEN'S 5K RESULTS (55 Finishers)
2. Rachel Ozio (18:45.2) – All-MEAC
9. Laila Jackson (19:43.3) – All-MEAC
13. Gianna Marquez (20:18.8) – All-MEAC
16. Zinash Valen (20:35.2)
20. Jadiza Jimenez (20:42.9)
25. Victoria Swepson (21:28.1)
40. Taylor Hanson (23:42.0)
43. Mylena Beckham (24:46.2)
 
NCCU MEN'S 8K RESULTS (48 Finishers)
7. Laderique McNeill (26:37.8) – All-MEAC
12. Emmanuel Paddyfote (27:58.7) – All-MEAC
14. Corey Little (28:06.5) – All-MEAC
17. Ryan Chong (28:37.2)
31. Donald Moore (31:47.1)
39. Elmore Johnson III (34:05.6)
48. Ocir Black (42:26.6)
 
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