SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Lenoir-Rhyne cross country teams took part in their second race of the season, running in the Converse Kickoff on Saturday morning.

The men took fifth out of 15 while the women placed ninth. No. 1 ranked Wingate won the men's race while UNC Asheville took top honors in the women's race.

Reining SAC Runner of the Week Danny Nugent was Lenoir-Rhyne's top finisher, taking 11th with an 8k time of 25:11.8. Ilias El Khattabi completed his first ever cross country race for the Bears, finishing just behind Nugent with a time of 25:21.4, good enough for 15th. Rounding out Lenoir-Rhyne's top-three was freshman Preston Sangely, who's also broke the 26-minute barrier with a time of 25:50.5. The Bears' final two scoreres were Craig Allard Jr. (26:11.8) and Leon Fischer (26:35.6). 

The women were led in their 6k by fellow SAC Runner of the Week Brooke Reynolds, who placed 35th with a time of 24:13.4. Caitlyn Christie ran a 25:09 and Rosey Parnell a 25:28.8 to finish second and third on the team, respectively. Lenoir-Rhyne's fourth scorer was freshman Jordana Nunez, who opened up her collegiate career with a 25:57.3. The Bears' final scorer was Tigist Siler, who covered the course in a time of 27:06.8. 

Both the men's and women's teams will travel up the mountain next Friday to Boone, N.C., to take part in the Firetower Project Run. The men will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the women following at 5:40 p.m.