The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s and women’s cross country programs earned individual victories at the Soaring Hawk Cross Country Classic on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in Princess Anne. Senior Banele Mkabela won the men’s 8K, while junior Rihanna Gayle won the women’s 5K in the program’s final regular-season meet.
University of Maryland Eastern Shore Men’s Cross Country Claims Top Three
Mkabela won the men’s 8K in 26:36.0. Junior Nkanyezi Ziqubu finished second in 26:36.1, one-tenth of a second behind Mkabela, while junior Fidelis Osunkwo placed third in 30:08.9.
The results gave the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men’s cross country program the top three finishers in the men’s 8K at the Princess Anne meet.
Rihanna Gayle Wins Women’s 5K
Gayle won the women’s 5K in 24:35.1. Freshman Khetarah Johnson finished second in 27:59.2, and freshman Lila Moore placed third in 28:03.3.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women’s cross country program also claimed the top three places in its race. Complete women’s results and men’s results are available from the meet.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore cross country program finished its regular season with six top-three finishes at the Soaring Hawk Cross Country Classic. Mkabela and Gayle led the meet with individual victories, while Ziqubu, Osunkwo, Johnson and Moore also placed among the top three in their respective races.
Source: Original report
