CARROLLTON, Ga.- The University of West Georgia cross country teams will return to action Friday morning when the Wolves travel to Huntsville, Alabama, for the Southern Showcase, hosted by Jacksonville State. The meet will be UWG's second race of the 2026 season, with the men's 8K beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the women's 5k race set for 10:35 a.m. 

On the men's side, West Georgia opened the season at the Foothills Invitational in Oxford, Alabama, where the men's team finished sixth while battling hot and humid conditions. Sophomore Alex Njoroge led the Wolves, finishing 16th overall with a personal-best time of 15:46.1. His performance moved him into fifth place all-time in UWG history in the 5K.

Noah Anderson followed with a time of 16:00.4, while Solomon Jones recorded a personal-best 16:02.3. Aiden Thaxton crossed the finish line in 16:07.8, and Evan Beasley rounded out the Wolves' top five with a 16:36.1, giving UWG an average time of 16:06.5 among its top five finishers.

The season opener also featured three freshmen making their collegiate debuts. Jackson Harrell led the group with a time of 17:11.2, followed by Braeden Kerrane at 18:28.0 and Cash Driggers at 19:03.2. Friday's race will give all three freshmen their first opportunity to compete at the 8K distance.

On the women's side, West Georgia will look to build on its season-opening performance. Reatta Danhof led UWG in the 5K, crossing the finish line with a time of 19:07.2. Linda Rivero followed at 20:35.3, while Haley Hartman rounded out the Wolves' top three with a 21:34.6, giving UWG an average time of 20:25.7 among its top three finishers.

Kezia Donaldson added a personal-best performance in the season opener, posting a time of 22:24.4. Freshman twin sisters Jade and Suri Lawrence also made their collegiate debuts, with Jade finishing in 22:28.0 and Suri following with a time of 22:45.7.

Fans can keep track of all the action through the live results for the Southern Showcase. UWG fans can also stay connected with Cross Country throughout the meet by following @uwgxctf on Instagram and @UWGTrack on X for live updates and final results.