MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Belhaven Men's and Women's Cross Country teams continued their 2026 season Saturday morning at the Rhodes Cross Country Invitational at Shelby Farms Cross Country Course.

The Belhaven women placed eighth among 10 scoring teams in the 5K, totaling 220 points with a five-runner time of 2:01:53 and a 24:22 average.

Senior Ashley Davidson led the Blazers for the second consecutive meet, finishing 41st overall in 23:23.7. Jocelyn Belonga followed in 51st with a time of 23:57.2.

Courtney Adams crossed the line in 24:41.5 to place 58th, while Virtasia Shepard finished immediately behind her in 59th at 24:51.4. Brycelyn Townsend completed Belhaven's scoring five with a 61st-place time of 24:59.6.

Mary Anderson finished 64th in 25:09.1, Emily Gaudet placed 69th in 25:55.4 and Abigail DeJesus rounded out the Blazers' eight-runner lineup in 70th at 26:04.5.

Belhaven showed progress from its season opener at Choctaw Trails, improving from a 10th-place finish and 256 points to eighth place and 220 points. The Blazers also cut approximately 40 seconds from their combined scoring-five time.

Five Belhaven runners improved upon their season-opening 5K marks. Shepard made the biggest jump, lowering her time by 1:39.6, while Townsend improved by 1:07.9. Adams cut 53.3 seconds, Gaudet improved by 49.8 seconds and DeJesus lowered her mark by 4.5 seconds.

In the men's 8K, freshman De'Marion Sims led the Blazers for the second straight meet, placing 44th with a time of 31:53.8 in his first collegiate race at the distance. Sims also paced Belhaven at the MC Season Opener, where he ran 21:26.5 in the 5K.

Junior Peyton Vandevuss finished 59th in 35:55.0. Vandevuss returned to the Shelby Farms course after recording a time of 35:26.3 at the 2025 Rhodes Invitational. With two recorded finishers, Belhaven did not register a men's team score.

Belhaven returns to action Saturday, Oct. 3, when the Blazers host the Belhaven Invitational at Choctaw Trails in Clinton. The meet is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

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