HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Albany State University women's cross country team delivered a historic performance Saturday morning at the UAH Chargers Invitational, recording the fastest team 6K performance in program history while continuing to build momentum toward the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Cross Country Championship.
The Golden Rams finished 27th out of 38 teams with 814 points, recording a combined time of 2:00:35.08 among their top five runners and an average time of 24:07.02.
Leading the way for Albany State was Brea Vann, who finished 141st overall with a time of 23:08.00. Faith Thompson followed closely behind, placing 149th with a time of 23:12.67, while Sydney Haywood finished 177th in 23:30.73.
The trio made program history, becoming the first three Albany State runners to finish under 24 minutes in the same 6K race.
Zahriya Sullivan continued the strong showing for the Golden Rams, finishing 283rd with a time of 25:05.34, while Jehzaria Middleton rounded out the team's top five with a time of 25:38.34, placing 307th.
Charity Tukes crossed the finish line in 26:15.27, followed by Jayda Spikes (26:55.89), Nyidjah Ives (27:41.55) and Mya Parks (32:18.79).
Albany State head cross country coach Robert Smith praised his team's performance and the progress the Golden Rams have made throughout the season.
"This was one of our better races so far this season," Smith said. "Everything finally clicked, and we raced with more confidence than we have all season. Our top four runners recorded personal bests in the 6K and also achieved personal-best 5K split times. This performance is beginning to set us up for the conference championship in two weeks."
Smith also highlighted the historic significance of the team's performance and the experience gained from competing against Division I programs.
"Our overall team finish was the fastest 6K team performance in school history," Smith added. "This was also the first time in program history that three runners finished a 6K in under 24 minutes. It shows how much work we've been putting in over our last three meets, competing in 6K races against Division I competition."
The Golden Rams competed against a competitive field that featured several NCAA Division I and Division II programs. Tampa captured the team title with 94 points, followed by Catawba with 105 points and Lee with 110 points.
Saturday's performance marked another step forward for Albany State, as the Golden Rams continue to improve their times and gain valuable experience heading into postseason competition.
Up Next
Albany State will now turn its attention to the 2026 SIAC Cross Country Championship in two weeks, looking to carry its momentum and record-setting performance into the conference meet.
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 12 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, baseball, and football, with all teams competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
