More Records Fall for Women's Cross Country Team

CEDARVILLE, Ohio (September 15, 2012) - Urbana University cross country runners Jade Roark and Jackie Smith (pictured) continued their assault on the program's record books on Saturday morning.  Just one week after notching the top 2 times in program history, the new duo did it again at the Cedarville University Friendship Invitational.  Roark again led the way with a school record 5K time of 23:10.87, and Smith stayed right on Roark's heels, crossing the finish line exactly 9 seconds later in 23:19.87.  Smith's time was more than a minute faster than her time at last weekend's race, while Roark trimmed almost 55 seconds off her school record pace.

As a team, the Blue Knights finished in 12th place in a field that included a pair of D-I programs, along with several D-II, D-III and NAIA programs.  Cedarville took home the team championship on their home course.

Roark and Smith weren't the only impressive Blue Knights on Saturday.  Senior Sara White finished third on the squad, and remarkably, she crossed the finish line in the exact same time (24:41) that she ran as a true freshman at this event in 2009.  In addition to tying her personal best on Cedarville's course, White also tied her own time for the 6th fastest time in program history.  Urbana's top 3 finishers on Saturday logged times that landed in the top 6 slots in school history.  Only Roark and Smith's times last week and White's collegiate best (24:36) in 2009 at WIlmington have been faster.

Rounding out Urbana's times on Saturday were sophomore Melissa Bell (25:36) and senior Jessica Thomas (28:47).  Bell cut 43 seconds off her time from a week ago, and Thomas improved by more than a full minute.  Next, the Blue Knights will run at Cedarville again as the Yellow Jackets will host the All-Ohio Championships in 2 weeks.  The women's 5K begins at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 29th.  [Cedarville Friendship Invite Results]