KUTZTOWN, Pa. - - Running on a cool Friday night against tough regionally ranked teams, the Wilmington University men's and women's cross country teams competed at the DII/DIII Challenge hosted by Kutztown, finishing in fourth and seventh, respectively.

Being one of five regionally ranked teams in either NCAA Division II or III, the Wildcats finished fourth overall out of nine teams in the 8K race at the Farm Course on the campus of Kutztown. The Wildcats collected 115 points in fourth place, ahead of the only other Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference team in the field, Georgian Court, who finished sixth overall with 147 points.

Dan Wyshinski again led the Wildcats, finishing in 12^th overall with a time of 27:03.9, to finish as the top CACC performer. Trent Taylor was the second Wildcat, and the second CACC runner to cross the finish line with a 14^th place, running the 8K course in 27:10.0.

Vaughn Lackman was the third Wildcat finish, coming in 27^th overall for 26 points with a time of 28:03.7. CACC Rookie of the Week Ethyn Peck finished 33^rd overall for 31 points with a time of 28:26.9. Carter Sparwasser was right behind Peck in 34^th place for 32 points, rounding out the Wildcats scoring with a time of 28:33.9. Joel Oquendo was the sixth Wildcat finisher in 37^th place with a time of 28:50.7 while Zach Souders finished 54^th overall with a time of 29:57.2. Peck, Sparwasser, Oquendo, Souders, and Braeden Peterson (61^st – 30:34.4) all improved their collegiate 8K personal records from last weekend.

Shippensburg, ranked No. 2 in the Atlantic Region, won the event with 17 points. DeSales, ranked No. 6 in its NCAA DIII region, was second overall with 54 points. Kutztown, ranked No. 9 in the Atlantic, was third overall with 106 points. Wilmington (No. 8 East) and Georgian Court (No. 10 East) round out the other regionally ranked teams.

The women were on the course next, as the Wildcats claimed seventh place out of 10 teams with 204 points. Four of the teams in the field were regionally ranked in either NCAA Division II or III.

Tiffany Banning led the Wildcats with a 22^nd place finish, running the 6K course in 26:07.9 for 22 points. Cassidy Burr was the second Wildcat to cross, coming in 56^th place overall for 43 points. She finished in 28:51.2. Sammy Banning was right on the heels of Burr, finishing in 57^th overall for 44 points with a time of 28:41.6.

Abby Chomo was the fourth Wildcat to cross with a time of 28:51.2 for 60^th overall, earning the team 47 points. Kylie Schultz rounded out the Wildcats' scoring with 48 points, finishing in 61^st overall with a time of 28:53.7, right behind Chomo. Taylor Burchfield (75^th – 30:29.9( and Claudia Rodriguez (81^st – 33:25.0) rounded out the Wildcats on the course on Friday.

Regionally ranked No. 6 in the Atlantic, Bloomsburg wont he 6K event with 44 points, followed by Shippensburg, who is ranked No. 7 in the Atlantic, with 48 points. Kutztown, ranked No. 9 in the Atlantic, rounded out the top three teams with 68 points.

The Wildcats stay in the PSAC next weekend when they head to the middle of Pennsylvania to compete in the Lock Haven University Invitational on Saturday. The men start the day with the opening gun at 10:00 a.m.

Men's 8K Team Results:

1 – Shippensburg – 17 points
2 – DeSales – 54 points
3 – Kutztown – 106 points
4 – Wilmington – 115 points
5 – Bloomsburg – 138 points
6 – Georgian Court – 147 points
7 – Stevenson – 214 points
8 – Shepherd – 221 points
9 – Gwynedd-Mercy – 281 points

Wildcats' 8K Results:

12 – Dan Wyshinski – 27:03.9 – 12 points
14 – Trent Taylor – 27:10.0 – 14 points
27 – Vaughn Lackman – 28:03.7 – 26 points
33 – Ethyn Peck – 28:26.9 (PR) – 31 points
34 – Carter Sparwasser – 28:33.9 (PR) – 32 points
37 – Joel Oquendo – 28:50.7 (PR) – 35 points
54 – Zach Souders – 29:57.2 (PR) – 42 points
61 – Braeden Peterson – 30:34.4 (PR)
65 – Joe Volk – 31:02.2
74 – Jared Cushlanis – 32:00.6
83 – Hayward Boutte – 33:18.7
90 – Niko Licup – 35:25.8

Women's 6K Team Results:

1 – Bloomsburg – 44 points
2 – Shippensburg – 48 points
3 – Kutztown – 68 points
4 – Millersville – 81 points
5 – DeSales – 117 points
6 – Stevenson – 202 points
7 – Wilmington – 204 points
8 – Shepherd – 230 points
9 – Georgian Court – 248 points
10 – Gwynedd-Mercy – 295 points

Wildcats' 6K Results:

22 – Tiffany Banning – 26:07.9 – 22 points
56 – Cassidy Burr – 28:51.2 – 43 points
57 – Sammy Banning – 28:41.6 – 44 points
60 – Abby Chomo – 28:51.2 – 47 points
61 – Kylie Schultz – 28:53.7 – 48 points
75 – Taylor Burchfield – 30:29.9 – 56 points
81 – Claudia Rodriguez – 33:25.0 – 62 points