Owls' XC Returns to Tallahassee For Second Meet

Friday, October 9

Tallahassee, Fla.

7:40 AM

Florida Atlantic

FSU XC Invitational

10/8/2026 12:18:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's XC/Track & Field

BOCA RATON, Fla. – FThe Florida Atlantic men's and women's cross country contingent returns for another race in Tallahassee Friday morning, taking part in the FSU XC Invitational to wrap up the regular season portion of the 2026 season.

The Owls competed last on Sept. 18 on this very same course, Apalachee Regional Park, in the same distances and start times as are scheduled for Friday: the men's 8K at 7:40 a.m. and women's 6K at 8:20 a.m. Both that previous meet and Friday's are in preparation for the upcoming 2026 NCAA South Regionals, set for Nov. 13 again in Tallahassee.

LAST TIME OUT
At the aforementioned meet, the Pre-Regionals, Kate Drummond crossed the line first for the women, 10th overall with a new personal best time of 21:39.2. That ranks sixth all-time in program history. The women's team finished fourth, just 11 points out of third place. Coming in behind Drummond were Teegan Anderson and Ellis Vaughan, just a second apart – 22:40.6 and 22:41.9, respectively.

The men were paced for the second time in as many races by freshman Carter Dieterich, coming across the line in his first 8K in a time of 26.25.8. Noah Highsmith (27:18.8) and Noah Curfman (27:42.8) rounded out the men's top three.

THIS TIME OUT
There will be 16 Owls set to toe the start line on Friday morning:

Women's runners (9) – Reese Anderson (Jr.), Madison Brown (Jr.), Gaby Castro (Fr.), Sophie Dethier (So.), Drummond (Gr.), Evie Lebrun (Fr.), Morgan Pennington (So.), Anabell Reumann (Gr.), Vaughan (So.)

Men's runners (7) – Timothy Brannon (Fr.), Joseph Coyle (Sr.), Curfman (Jr.), Dieterich (Fr.), Highsmith (Sr.), Zachary Loftis (Fr.), Donovan Petty (Jr.)

Teams scheduled to race on Friday are:

Men's and Women's
Alabama State	Valdosta State
Daytona State College	West Florida
Eastern Florida
Embry-Riddle	Men's only
Flagler	Florida College
Florida Atlantic	Troy
Florida State	USSU
Jacksonville State
Lake-Sumter State	Women's only
Loyola-New Orleans	Albany State
Mobile	Florida A&M
North Alabama	Gulf Coast State College
Tampa	Jacksonville
Thomas (Ga.)	Troy
	UCF

NEXT TIME OUT
In between Friday's trip to Tallahassee and the NCAA South Regionals on Nov. 13 is the 2026 American Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by Tulane at Lake Oaks Park in New Orleans, on Oct. 31.

FOLLOW THE OWLS
For complete coverage of FAU cross country and track & field, follow the program on social media @FAUXCTF.

#WIP