Bowie State University men’s and women’s cross-country teams will return to competition Friday at the HBCU Challenge in Petersburg, Virginia. The meet will give both Bowie State squads another opportunity to compete against several HBCU programs while preparing for the 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Cross Country Championships.
Bowie State men’s cross-country team led by Sean Trader
Sophomore Sean Trader led the Bowie State men’s cross-country team at the season-opening Delaware State University Sting Invitational. Trader finished 15th overall in the 5K with a time of 17:33.2.
Chase Garcia finished 28th in 18:40.7, followed by Keshon Tate in 43rd at 23:11.7. Michael Price placed 44th in 23:25.3, and Kevin Joy finished 45th in 26:06.0.
Bowie State finished sixth as a team with 165 points. The Bulldogs recorded a combined team time of 1:48:56 and averaged 21:47 per runner.
Bowie State women’s cross-country team finished fourth
The Bowie State women’s cross-country team finished fourth at the Delaware State University Sting Invitational with 104 points. Leilani Gibson led the Bulldogs by placing eighth overall in the women’s 5K with a time of 21:35.4.
Emetem Bezezuh finished 10th in 22:07.4, while Destinie Mayo placed 25th in 24:50.3. Anijah Medley finished 36th in 26:51.8, and Sydney Anderson placed 38th in 28:33.2.
Bowie State recorded a combined team time of 2:03:57 and averaged 24:47 per runner in the season-opening competition.
Bowie State schedule continues toward CIAA Championships
Following the HBCU Challenge, Bowie State is scheduled to compete in the Lincoln University XC Challenge hosted by Licoln University in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Cross Country Championships are scheduled to follow in Salem, Virginia.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The HBCU Challenge will give both Bowie State teams another opportunity to compete against HBCU programs before the Lincoln University XC Challenge and the CIAA Cross Country Championships. Sean Trader and Leilani Gibson led their respective teams at the Delaware State University Sting Invitational, while Bowie State recorded a sixth-place men’s finish and a fourth-place women’s finish.
Source: Original report
