Cross Country Returns to Action at Notre Dame Invitational

CLEMSON, SC – Cara Talty and Aaron Ramirez both recorded top-20 individual finishes Friday to highlight Clemson’s efforts at the Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational in South Bend, IN. Talty took 14th place to lead the Tiger women to a fifth-place showing in the gold division, while Ramirez was 16th in the men’s competition to lead Clemson’s men to eighth overall.

Talty led the Tiger women’s team for the second time in as many meets. The senior from Raritan, NJ raced to a time of 18:03.3 at Notre Dame’s 5K course. The only other Tiger female to finish in the top 30 was Alexa Womack, a native of Walton, GA. Womack posted a time of 18:24.4 and was 27th. The final three scorers for Mark Elliott‘s team were Brianna Blanton (47th, 18:43.5), Catherine Herring (52nd, 18:46.2) and Evie Tate (85th, 19:11.1).

Southern Illinois won the gold division women’s race, a competition that featured 212 runners from 26 teams.

Ramirez, in just his second meet of the 2013 season, led the Tiger men with a 16th-place finish. Ramirez posted a time of 26:00.2 over the Irish’s 8K course. He was supported by Roland Hakes, a sophomore who crossed the finish line 33rd overall with a time of 26:20.9. Also scoring for Elliott’s squad were James Dwyer (61st, 26:51.1), Josh Davis (67th, 26:54.6) and Stephen Lewandowski (83rd, 27:04.2).

The men’s team title went to Grand Valley State, who had four top-10 finishers. The Tigers were eighth out of 23 teams.

Both teams return to action at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, IN on Saturday, Oct. 19.