Georgia College & State University finished third at the 2025 Peach Belt Conference Men’s Cross-Country Championship Oct. 25 at the Bobcat Cross Country Course.
It the first time the Bobcats had hosted the Peach Belt meet since 2016 when GCSU hosted it at Council Farms.
Flagler College captured its first PBC title, since 2016. With 19 points. In the process, the Saints dethroned six-time champion Augusta University, which finished in second place with 39 points. GCSU recorded its second consecutive third-place finish with 93 points.
Shipley Smith was the top runner for the Bobcats with a 8K time of 25:41.0 and came in 16th, one spot shy of earning all-conference accolades. Zach Hilyer snagged a top-20 effort as he came in 19th with a time of 26:21.6. Noah Boyd placed 26th with a 26:44.5 time and Nolan Lane was 28th at 26:50.1. Daniel Laird posted a time of 26:54.4 for 31st place, while Evan Rehrauer crossed the line at 27:01.2 for 33rd.
Noah Peters set a personal-best effort with a time of 27:32.0 and placed 41st place, followed by Peyton Harley (44th, 27:48.2), Karl Ritzler (47th, 27:56.6), Evan Armstrong (48th, 27:57.2), Daniel Bell (50th, 28:17.6) and Reed Glaser (56th, 28:43.9).
Armstrong and Bell also set personal-best times for the Bobcats.
Jaycob Wagner was named to the All-Peach Belt Conference Sportmanship Team.
GCSU returns to action Nov. 8 when the Bobcats compete in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship meet in Wingate, N.C.
— Contributed