Lynchburg Men Place 10th at Richmond Invitational

University of Lynchburg Cross Country Finishes Tenth at Richmond Invitational

University of Lynchburg men’s cross country placed 10th in the team standings at the Richmond Invitational in Mechanicsville, Va., with seven runners finishing inside the top 100 of the 8,000m race against competition from every collegiate division, lynchburgsports.com reported.

The Tech TL;DR:

• Seven Hornets secured top-100 finishes in the men’s 8,000m event against collegiate fields.
• Jack Weddle led the squad in 43rd place with a time of 26:27.7 following his return from injury.

Jack Weddle Leads Returning Hornets in 8,000m Field

Jack Weddle paced the Lynchburg men’s contingent with a 26:27.7 performance, securing 43rd place overall. Weddle entered the meet as the lone Hornet in the lineup who competed at the 2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships. Ryan Warner followed with a time of 27:27.4 to take 76th place, while Caleb Painter crossed the line at 27:51.6 for 89th. Walker Mason registered a 27:52.1 mark to finish 90th.

Closing out the team’s scoring runners, freshman Nate Kach posted a 27:59.4 time for 94th place. Kach stands as one of four Lynchburg freshmen who finished inside the team’s top seven competitors.

Taylor Hill and Allie Smulik Pace Women’s 6k Squad

On the women’s side, Taylor Hill recorded a 25:23.1 performance in the 6k to secure 101st place. Hill’s outing marked her first competition since August 29, 2025, when she ran at the Liberty XC Challenge. Allie Smulik crossed in 25:50.6 for 107th place in what served as her cross country debut after previously competing for the Lynchburg women’s soccer team.

Upcoming Competition at the Running of the Cows

The Hornets turn their focus toward the 2026 Running of the Cows in Northfield, Minn., where the team will match up against several of Division III’s top opponents on Saturday, Oct. 3 at noon EST.