CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi College cross country teams showcased strong performances at the Belhaven Invitational on Saturday, held at Choctaw Trails, with the women's team securing a third-place finish and the men's team demonstrating depth and consistency with three placing within the top 10.

Leading the way for Mississippi College women's cross country was Lauren Wallace, who finished second overall with a time of 22:38.71. Wallace's impressive performance was complemented by teammate Shana Sellers, who crossed the line in fourth place at 23:02.22.

Ava Wardlaw and Kinley Harris both put in notable efforts, finishing 12th and 13th, respectively. Wardlaw clocked in at 24:21.44, while Harris followed closely with a time of 24:21.47, demonstrating the team's depth.

In the men's race, junior Braedon Methvin led the way for the Choctaws, finishing eighth with a time of 25:40.94. He was closely followed by teammates Cooper Parmer and Preston Speed, who placed ninth and tenth, respectively, with times of 25:46.68 and 25:47.55.

Overall, Mississippi College's men's team demonstrated depth and consistency, with five runners finishing in the top 12. Christian Balcer secured 11th place in 25:49.87, while Carson Smith rounded out the top 15 for the Choctaws, finishing 13th in 26:15.35.

Zach Fenton from West Florida claimed victory in the men's race with a time of 24:53.66, followed by Tucker Wright of Berry in second.

Both teams will look to build on their performances as they prepare for their upcoming home meet in two weeks.