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VUU men win cross-country meet

Fred Jeter | 10/16/2015, 9:24 p.m.
Virginia Union University’s Franck Charles remains undefeated this season after winning the Panther Classic cross-country meet last weekend at Richmond’s …
Runners from Virginia Union University’s men’s team, above, join in the dash from the start line at the Panther Classic cross-country meet Oct. 9 at Richmond’s Bryan Park. VUU runners won first and second place. In the women’s meet, Hampton University’s Ce’aira Brown, below, leads a long line of runners as she heads to a first-place finish. Photo by James Haskins

Virginia Union University’s Franck Charles remains undefeated this season after winning the Panther Classic cross-country meet last weekend at Richmond’s Bryan Park.

It was the largest cross-country event ever hosted by VUU.

The tireless Charles is a 5-foot-6, 135-pound senior mass communications major from Tampa, Fla.

In leading VUU to the team title, Charles covered a rolling 8K course — 4.97 miles — in 27:18.9. Taking second was Panther teammate Luis Nieves from Miami in 27:20.3.

Coach Wilbert D. Johnson’s Panthers finished first with 30 points, followed by Hampton University with 47 points, Howard University with 97 points and Virginia State University with 100 points.

Also running were teams from Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista and Bowie State and Washington Adventist universities in Maryland.

Paced by junior Daniaria Brice, VUU’s women finished fourth out of seven entries. Brice, from Cape Coral, Fla., was third individually in 18:59 over 5 kilometers, 3.1 miles. Hampton University’s Ce’aira Brown broke the tape in 17:20.4.

The Lady Panthers came in behind Southern Virginia, Hampton and Howard universities while outrunning VSU and Washington Adventist.

VUU’s men and women will travel to Cary, N.C., for the CIAA championships Oct. 30.