Heineking and White Claim Individual Titles at Mason Invitational

Story Links

CENTREVILLE, Va. – Virginia’s men’s and women’s cross country teams followed up season opening victories two weeks ago by sweeping the George Mason Invitational Saturday morning. The 14th-ranked men’s team outdistanced Columbia, 21-34, for first, while the women’s race played out in dramatic fashion, but the 19th-ranked Cavaliers held on for the one-point victory over Georgetown.

Sophomore Emil Heineking won his second-consecutive Mason Invitational title – and second-straight individual title this season – completing the course in 24:37. Sophomore Ryan Collins followed Heineking, finishing runner-up in 24:49 and junior Graham Tribble took third in 24:53, giving Virginia the top-three spots. Columbia broke up the Cavalier finishers, putting three runners across the line before junior Trey Miller claimed seventh for Virginia in 25:19. Sophomore Robbie Eckardt rounded out the scoring Cavaliers, crossing in ninth with a time of 25:20.

For the women, junior Catherine White made her debut as a Cavalier and led all runners across the line, completing the course in 20:41. Georgetown trailed White and for every subsequent runner Virginia finished, Georgetown followed. Sophomore Morgane Gay finished third in 21:12 and sandwiched between two Hoyas, junior Stephanie Garcia finished fifth in 21:27. Georgetown broke the streak, sending a runner over the line in seventh place, but freshman Barbara Strehler (21:46) out-leaned a George Mason runner at the line to secure the 30-31 victory over Georgetown.

Virginia won the men’s race with 21 points, while Columbia finished runner-up with 34 points. George Mason took third with 85 points. The Cavaliers won the women’s race by one-point over Georgetown and Columbia finished third with 72 points.

Virginia will return to action on Friday, Oct. 16, playing host to the Panorama Farms Invitational at Panorama Farms. The women’s 6k race is set to toe the line at 4 p.m., with the men’s 8k race following at 4:45 p.m.

(l to r): Ryan Collins, Trey Miller, Graham Tribble and Emil Heineking (l to r): Ryan Collins, Trey Miller, Emil Heineking, Graham Tribble (l to r): Stephanie Garcia, Morgane Gay, Catherine White Catherine White