by Benny Benton
WINGATE, N.C. – Led by a top-35 finish from Sharon Kiptoo, the Barton College women's cross country team placed 15th among 20 programs in the Bulldog Stampede, which was run in rainy, muddy conditions on Saturday at Wingate University.
Kiptoo, a sophomore transfer from Kenya, completed the 6K course at the WU Cross Country Facility in a time of 24:24.26, which was good for 33rd place overall in a deep field of 159 runners.
She was one of three Lady Bulldogs to finish in the top half of the field. Junior Heather Cuddington and senior Jamicia Jones both placed among the top 50 percent as well. Cuddington raced home 57th overall with a time of 25:16.98, while Jones came in 79th with a mark of 25:51.02. The time for Jones was more than a minute better than her previous personal record (PR) at the 6K distance.
Senior Eva Amo-Mensah also recorded her best 6K time at Barton after producing a mark of 28:09.83 that earned 126th place. She joined Lauren Yoho (103rd, 26:53.85) in providing the final two counting scores for the Lady Bulldogs.
A pair of transfers, sophomore Judith Melly and junior Jayvona McDaniel, competed in their first 6K event wearing the Royal Blue and White. Melly came in 154th after a time of 31:51.76, and McDaniel placed 157th following a mark of 34:07.66.
A total of 20 teams took part in the meet, which was held on the same layout where the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional will take place in November.
Host Wingate University won the meet with 74 points. Anderson University finished second (94 points) behind individual race-winner Haylee Love, who posted a time of 22:50.45.
The top Conference Carolinas team was University of Mount Olive, which placed ninth with 257 points. In its 15th place showing (370 points), Barton defeated three other league foes, Belmont Abbey College, Pfeiffer University and Lees-McRae College.
Barton will return to action next Saturday, Oct. 3, in the Hagan Stone Cross Country Classic, hosted by the Greensboro Pacesetters track club in Greensboro, N.C.
