The Gators start 2022 with a pair of first place finishes at the UCF invite.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators men’s and women’s cross country teams kicked off their seasons on Friday at the UCF Invite with a pair of first place finishes.
The men’s team placed first collecting 27 points, beating out second place Miami (Fla.) by 39 points. Josh Stern was the top finisher, placing second with a time of 15:44.8, a personal best. This is the third time in four years that the Gators men’s teams have competed in the UCF Invite and they have placed first each time. Adam Magoulas, Aiden Villasuso, Cavan Wilson, Jonathan Pitchford, Orlando Cicilioni and Eoin McNally were the six other Gators in the top 12, finishing fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, eleventh and twelfth respectively.
The women’s team also placed first, receiving 37 points, 28 points ahead of second place UCF. Emily Culley crossed the line first, running an 18:12.1. This is the third top 2 finish in four years for the Gators and the the first time they have placed first. The Gators finished three other runners in the top 10 with Kathryn Nohilly placing third, Olivia Jones finishing sixth, and Rylee Pustilnik coming in seventh.
The meet was full of personal records (PR), with all 11 men and 2 women running a PR and 1 woman tied for her PR. This achievement bested the 2021 UCF Invite, where 10 runners ran a PR.
Up next, the Gators travel to Oxford, Mississippi for the SEC Preview Meet on Friday, September 16th.
UCF INVITE RESULTS
Men’s
Team Finishes
Florida – 1st of 8 (27 points)
Miami – 2nd of 8 (66 points)
FGCU – 3rd of 8 (84 points)
Stetson – 4th of 8 (91 points)
South Florida – 5th of 8 (92 points)
FIU – 6th of 8 (192 points)
Bethune-Cookman – 7th of 8 (199 points)
FAU – DNP
Individual Finishes
Josh Stern – 2nd, 15:44.8 (PR)
Adam Magoulas – 4th, 15:47.3 (First Collegiate Race, PR)
Aiden Villasuso – 6th, 15:50.1 (PR)
Cavan Wilson – 7th, 15:51.2 (PR)
Jonathan Pitchford –8th, 15:51.8 (First Collegiate Race, PR)
Orlando Cicilioni – 11th, 16:00.4 (PR)
Eoin McNally – 12th, 16:08.1 (First Collegiate Race, PR)
Cade Monk – 15th, 16:21.6 (PR)
Ryan Miller – 32nd, 17:02.8 (PR)
Mac Wright – 35th, 17:10.5 (First Collegiate Race, PR)
Josh King – 38th, 17:18.7 (PR)
Women’s
Team Finishes
Florida – 1st of 9 (37 points)
UCF – 2nd of 9 (65 points)
Miami – 3rd of 9 (77 points)
Stetson – 4th of 9 (85 points)
South Florida – 5th of 9 (140 points)
FGCU – 6th of 9 (141 points)
FAU – 7th of 9 (148 points)
FIU – 8th of 9 (245 points)
Bethune-Cookman – 9th of 9 (284 points)
Individual Finishes
Emily Culley – 1st, 18:12.1
Kathryn Nohilly – 3rd, 18:31.3
Olivia Jones – 6th, 18:42.0 (First Collegiate Race, PR)
Rylee Pustlnik – 7th, 18:49.8 (PR)
Emma Solis – 20th, 19:36.5 (Ties PR)
Chloe Hyde – 29th, 19:55.1
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter<https://twitter.com/GatorsTF> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/pages/University-of-Florida-Track-Field-and-Cross-Country/272013273259?ref=bookmarks> | YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/user/uftrack> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/gatorstf/?hl=en>
