MACON, Ga. – The Albany State University women's cross country team opened its 2026 season with a strong showing at the Julius Johnson Invitational, earning a fourth-place team finish on Saturday.
The Lady Golden Rams finished fourth among nine scoring teams with 104 points and an average time of 22:11. Albany State finished behind Mercer, Columbus State and Georgia College while placing ahead of Clayton State, Tuskegee, Georgia Highlands College, Middle Georgia State and Clark Atlanta.
Sophomore Brea Vann led the way for Albany State, crossing the finish line in 20:36.13 to place eighth overall. Vann was the first non-Mercer runner to finish the race after Mercer claimed the first seven spots.
Fellow sophomore Faith Thompson was the second Lady Golden Ram across the finish line, placing 14th overall with a time of 21:34.00. Sydney Haywood followed with another top-20 performance, clocking 22:04.12 to finish 19th overall.
Freshman Jehza Middleton made a strong collegiate debut, finishing 28th overall with a time of 22:32.38. Je'Nya Harris was next for Albany State, placing 46th in 24:12.03, while senior Jayda Spikes crossed the line immediately behind her in 47th with a time of 24:16.04. Freshman Charity Tukes finished 49th overall with a time of 24:30.05.
Albany State also received contributions from Zahriya Sullivan, Gabrielle Dillard and Mya Parks. Sullivan finished in 24:42.03, Dillard recorded a time of 27:19.99, and Parks rounded out the Lady Golden Rams' finishers with a time of 33:10.75.
Head Cross Country Coach Robert Smith viewed the season-opening meet as an opportunity for the Lady Golden Rams to evaluate where they stand and identify areas for improvement moving forward.
"Today's meet was a good measuring stick for our team. We finally got a taste of competition and worked through those first-race jitters. Now we have a clear picture of what we need to improve. We'll learn from this meet, continue to chop wood and carry water, and Set The P.A.C.E. daily as we work toward our ultimate goal," Smith said.
The fourth-place finish provides a strong starting point for the back-to-back SIAC champions as Albany State continues its pursuit of a third consecutive conference championship.
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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).
