CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte 49ers men’s cross country team continued their outstanding start to the season, securing their second consecutive victory by dominating the competition at McAlpine Creek Park on Friday night. They not only triumphed over North Carolina, currently ranked No. 18, but also achieved a significant win against Wingate and Milligan. In individual standings, Maddon Muhammad claimed first place.
Men’s Race Highlights (8K)
The 49ers amassed an impressive total of 23 points, finishing 28 points ahead of their nearest competitor, UNC. The team’s strength was evident as Muhammad and teammate Stephen Fernetti occupied the top two spots, with Daniel Kelmer rounding out the top five. Luke Armentrout contributed to the team’s success with a seventh-place finish, making it four Niners in the top ten.
A notable aspect of the race was the close finish among several Charlotte runners, as Bryce Anderson, Andrew Harding, Tyrese Cone, Alex Fernandez, and Caleb Roesch crossed the finish line within just 15 seconds of each other, finishing in positions 11 to 15. The team’s overall performance solidified their dominance, with 11 athletes placing in the top 20.
Fernetti’s personal record of 24:22.52 highlighted his performance, improving by over 30 seconds from his previous best. Armentrout and Fernandez also set personal records, completing their runs in 24:26.65 and 24:50.05, respectively.
Head coach Joe Lynn praised the team, stating, “We had some guys really step up big today, and a couple of guys who ran their first 8K and got some great experience on a really fast course here at home and hopefully now we can carry over those experiences, both good and things that didn’t go quite our way. We’ll learn from them and just continue to get better as we move forward into the season.”
Women’s Race Highlights (5K)
In the women’s race, the Charlotte 49ers competed fiercely, finishing in second place with a total of 40 points, just behind No. 30 Wake Forest. The team outperformed several ranked opponents, including Wingate, Emory, SCAD Savannah, and Montreat. Ella White secured her second consecutive top-three finish in third place, closely followed by Cali Coffin in fourth.
Lucy Stecher and Lily Rogers added to the team’s success by finishing ninth and tenth, respectively. With a total of eight runners placing in the top 20, the 49ers demonstrated their depth and competitiveness.
In a strong showing, eight Charlotte women achieved personal records; notably, White and Coffin both recorded times under 17:00 for the first time in their careers. White completed the race in 16:54.28, while Coffin followed with a time of 16:58.44. Stecher and Rogers also improved upon their previous bests, with times of 17:21.18 and 17:21.74, respectively.
Coach Lynn expressed satisfaction with the women’s performance, saying, “Really happy with how the women competed. We knew it would be a solid competition across the board with it being a fast course. A couple of girls got out really quick and ran really fast, a couple of girls were buried and moved up really well.” He emphasized the importance of the race experience in managing strategies as they prepare for future competitions.
Looking Ahead
The Charlotte 49ers will have a three-week break before they travel to South Bend, Indiana, to participate in the Joe Piane Classic on October 3rd. The upcoming meet will serve as another key opportunity for the teams to build on their current momentum.
