FLORENCE, Ala. (September 6, 2025) – The University of North Alabama cross country teams hosted the seventh annual UNA Invitational Friday morning. The men finished with the team crown with 51 total points and the women finished fifth with a total of 123 points.

The excitement around incoming transfer Sandra Maiyo was warranted as she took home an individual win with her time of 17:35.01 – beating the second finisher by over 40 seconds.

The sophomore's finish now stands as the third-fastest time in program history and the fastest since 1985. Teresa Steele finished with a 17:09 and Carol Franklin ran a 17:11 time during the 1985 Vanderbilt Invitational.

"She (Maiyo) told me that she was a little nervous before the race," said head coach Connor Callahan. "I told her, if she wanted to stick with the pack for the first mile and then break off as the race goes she could. She ignored that and took from the start and I am completely fine with that. To have the third fastest time in school history is amazing and now we know what she is capable of."

Sophomore Brian Bett went back-to-back years now with an individual crown as he finished with a 24:31.33 to open the season. This slides him into the 15th fastest time for a men's 8k race in school history. The Kenya native now holds six of the top-15 times in program history.

This is the first time since the 2022 UNA Invitational that the Lions had both a men's and women's runner take the individual crown. That season, Evan Allen and Beth Ann Tucker placed first to lead the Lions to team wins.

Bett led the way for the men, but sophomore partner Vincent Chepkwony was close behind as he finished in third with a time of 25:25.11. Aidan Shannon was the final Lion inside the top-10 with a time of 25:36.08 to place ninth – a new personal record for the junior.
 
"Vincent had another solid performance," said Callahan. "Aidan doing what I was hoping for. We knew a PR was coming and expected it today. The guys stepped up like Gruber – a freshman stepping up and not being afraid is good to see."

True freshman Jack Gruber and junior Brent Lyons rounded out the scoring five for the morning race in 14th and 24th, respectively. Gruber debuted with a time of 25:51.59, and Lyons crossed with a 26:16.48.

Senior Jackson Hamlin placed 32nd with a time of 26:36.53. The rest of the team all made their North Alabama debuts, with four making their collegiate debuts as well.
 
Owen Otto completed a 26:51.29 for 43rd, Sammy Sang with a 26:53. 84 for 46th, Cole Smith in 58th with a 27:09.51, Andrew White with a 28:33.02 and Zach Bassham with a 28:45.70.
 
The top-five men scorers averaged a 25:32 time for North Alabama.
 
Maiyo soared with her incredible time and was followed by junior Camille Etheridge in 21st at 19:21.01. Junior Savannah Williams competed in just her sixth race while at North Alabama but completed it with a 25th placement, a time of 19:34.9 and a new personal record. She beat her previous record by 24 seconds, which she set at the 2023 UNA Invitational.
 
"Savannah has been coming back, that is a big one," said Callahan. "To have a good race after injuries and health struggles. This can help us take the next step."
 
True freshman Audrey Beck was the fourth Lion to cross with a time of 19:56.03 in 35th. Taylor Williams was the final scoring Lion in 50th with a 20:33.10 pace.
 
Sophomore's Mary Anna Trimble and Emma Bradford followed Williams with a time of 20:53.10 and 22:02.47, respectively. Trimble was 10 seconds away from a new personal record.
 
Sophia Gentile finished with a 22:06.54, Cambree Bradford crossed with a 22:26.16 in her debut and Traci Pettus rounded out the group with a 22:34.33.
 
The men's team had a sizeable lead in first as they bested second-place Auburn-Montgomery by 24 points. The women had a 29 point gap between themselves and Wallace State.
 
This is the first season opening race that the men's program has earned the team crown since 1985. That season, the team won their home meet in Florence, Ala. The Lions last won the UNA Invitational in 2023.
 
"Having an individual champ on both sides is the biggest thing when you are heading into a race," said head coach Connor Callahan. "For the men to do what they did, I think that was the expectation going into the race. My big thing was go out there and compete and we did that. We did what we needed to do, but we still need to take steps from here. We got some good stuff to build on for the women and keeping putting things together for the men, brick by brick."
 
Next up, the Lions stay in the state of Alabama with the Southern Showcase hosted by Jacksonville State on Friday, Sept. 12 at John Hunt Park.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.