OXFORD, Ala. – The University of Tennessee Southern men's cross country team opened the 2026 season with an impressive performance Friday morning at the JSU Foothills Invitational, finishing fourth overall and leading all NAIA programs in one of the strongest fields the Firehawks will face this season.
Competing against a field loaded with NCAA Division I and Division II programs, UT Southern posted a team score of 111 points to finish behind only host Jacksonville State, Auburn, and Samford. The Firehawks finished ahead of NCAA programs Troy, West Georgia, and West Florida while placing first among all NAIA institutions in the meet.
The Firehawks were led by sophomore Frankline Kipruto, who crossed the finish line in sixth place overall with a time of 15:25.1. Senior Spencer Head followed closely behind in ninth place overall after clocking a 15:29.5.
UT Southern placed two runners inside the top 10 and five runners among the top 35 finishers in a field featuring nearly every level of collegiate competition.
Martin VanHamme was the Firehawks' third scorer in 28th place with a time of 16:11.6, while freshman Davide Ambruschi finished 33rd in his collegiate debut at 16:22.3. Luca Neumeister rounded out the scoring five in 35th place with a time of 16:25.8.
Amon Rotich placed 48th overall in 16:47.0, while freshman Canon Lett added a 54th-place finish in 16:57.3.
The performance continues the momentum from UT Southern's historic 2025 season and reinforces why the Firehawks entered the fall receiving votes in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll.
UT Southern Top Finishers
The Firehawks return to action on Sept. 18 at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama.
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