UNIONVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 6, 2024) - Georgian Court Cross Country got their first race in the books Friday evening competing at the West Chester Season Opener. 

The small field saw the men and women get their feet wet with shorter distance races than they can expect later in the season. The men ran a 6K and the women a 4K. The Lion men finished in third place out of four teams and the Lion women third among three.

Georgian Court newcomer Nolan Kus led the men. He and Ryan Pettrow each finished in the top-10 just six seconds apart. Kus was second overall running 19:58.5, one of only two runners to break 20 minutes on the course. Pettrow took sixth place running 20:04.1. Both Kus and Pettrow got faster as the race continued, lowering their 2K time at each split.

Joe Jamolawicz finished in 18th place running 21:02.6. He stuck with Kus and Pettrow through the first 2K, but fell off that pace in the middle of the race.

Three Lion freshman finished the scoring for GCU. Zachary Spoonire was 32nd running 22:25.0, Matthew Schaub 36th in 23:02.2 and Colin Broadbelt 41st in 26:01.8 in what was their first race in the royal blue and gold.

For the women it was Amirah Beasley who was out in front for GCU taking 14th place. She ran the 4K race in 17:40.2. She finished her first 2K in 9:00 before speeding up to run the second half of the race in 8:39. Brenna Sullivan stuck with Beasley for the first 2K and finished four places behind her in 18th place running 19:11.9. Madalin Jones took 20th crossing the finish line in 19:32.7.

Two newcomers to the women's XC teams wrapped up the top-five. Freshman Jurnee Tuttle ran 20:36.2 for 22nd place. Junior Samantha Lonseth, more accustomed to the track and running in her first cross country race with the Lions finished in 23rd place in 21:46.2. 

The Lions will take to the course in one week's time running at the Kutztown DII/DIII Challenge Friday, Sept. 13.