In the final prep race for the 2024 USA South Championship (Nov. 2, 2024), freshman Nicole Black was the top runner from the USA South and the top freshman finisher in leading Mary Baldwin's women to 10th place out of 22 teams in the Roanoke Invitational Saturday.

Black, MBU's top woman in every race this season, placed 20th overall in the 6K race in 22:23.4.  It is believed to be one of the fastest times for an MBU runner on the course at Green Hill Park.

Rounding out the top five women's finishers for MBU were senior Caroline Motley (74th, 24:51.2), senior Johannah Dilloway (118th, 28:37.2), freshman Ashley Bennett (121st, 28:58.1) and freshman Anneka Burick (130th, 32:40.3).

In the men's competition, senior Brendan Plogger led MBU to a 12th place finish out of 18 teams, crossing the finish line 98th in a personal best time of 29:31.0.  Other scorers for the Fighting Squirrels included sophomore Micah Ahearn-Wood (116th, 30:57.7), classmate Daniel Diaczyszyn (131st, 32:40.7), junior David Shultz (139th, 34:22.5) and junior Brandon Jones (147th, 38:15.4).  Ahearn-Wood, Shultz and Jones also posted person-best performances.

The Fighting Squirrels have two weeks to prepare for the USA South Championship Saturday, Nov. 2, at North Carolina Wesleyan University.