Men's Cross Country | 9/22/2026 1:21:00 PM
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The LeMoyne-Owen College men's cross country team continued its early-season progress with a strong showing at the Rhodes Cross Country Invitational, finishing ninth overall and as the highest-finishing HBCU in the field.
The Magicians faced another challenging field that included NCAA Division I programs Memphis and Little Rock, along with Rhodes, Freed-Hardeman, Bethel (Tenn.), East Texas Baptist, Dyersburg State and Hendrix. LOC also finished ahead of HBCU programs Lane College and Philander Smith University, adding extra significance to the performance against rival Lane.
Sophomore Julian Tallant once again led the Magicians, completing the 8K in 33:13.5 and averaging approximately 6:41 per mile. Junior Isaiah Fields followed in 37:53.4, while freshman Antonio Hardin finished in 40:04.1. Terrence Stephenson Jr., Jacob Coleman and Charles Smith also completed the course for the Magicians.
Head Coach Christopher Davis was pleased with the continued growth of his team.
"I'm extremely proud of how these guys are starting to come together. Every week we're seeing improvement, and you can see them beginning to gel as a team. We've challenged them by putting them on the line against Division I competition, and they continue to step up and embrace it. They're competing, learning and getting better every week, and that's all I can ask for."
The Magicians will return to action at the Topper Trails College Classic in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, with the men's race scheduled to begin at 9:45 a.m. LOC will look to continue building momentum as the season progresses.
