Austin Peay Lady Govs Cross Country’s Xiamar Richards wins at JSU Foothills Invitational

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Women’s Cross Country

Oxford, AL – Junior Xiamar Richards won the women’s five-kilometer event at the JSU Foothills Invitational, leading Austin Peay State University women’s cross country team to a fourth-place team finish, Friday.

Richards held off the field with an 18:39.17 run, winning her career’s third individual event by more than three seconds over Alabama State’s Paige Rankin. It’s her first win since last season’s KSU Thorobreds victory on October 8th. She also won Earl Jacoby Memorial on September 10th, 2011.

Two other Lady Govs joined Richards in the top 10. Junior Kendra Kirksey earned a fourth-place, 18:48.54 run, while senior Chantelle Grey placed eighth at 19:20.84.

“Richards ran a great race,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “She pulled out the back and forth race. Kendra Kirksey also pulled a great PR for us.”

All five scorers placed in the top-40 for the Lady Govs. Junior Miranda Weed placed 27th thanks to a 20:46.94 run, while senior Alyssa Molnar pulled in a 39th-place run with a 21:33.11 run.

The Lady Govs finished fourth as a team with 77 points, behind Columbus State (60 points), host Jacksonville State (62) and Alabama State (68).

“Overall, pretty excellent meet for us,” Molnar said. “This was much closer to what I thought we’d do last week.

The Lady Govs will be back on the course at next weekend’s Front Runner Invitational in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Now is the right time to build on things.”

The Lady Govs will be back on the course at next weekend’s Front Runner Invitational in Chattanooga, TN.