CONWAY, AR – Freshman Ricky Flynn (Gaithersburg, MD/Damascus) qualified for national competition Saturday as the Lynchburg College cross country teams competed in the NCAA South/Southeast Regionals, hosted by Hendrix College.
Flynn placed fourth in the 132-runner field in 25:21 to advance to NCAA competition and help LC to an eighth-place finish (18-team field). He recorded the fastest time ever by a Hornet freshman on the 8K course. Brad O'Neil (Stuarts Draft, VA/Stuarts Draft) joined Flynn on the All-Region Team, finishing 19th in 26:05. Chris Irby (South Boston, VA/Halifax County) finished 65th in 27:36, Alex Fuqua (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee) placed 69th in 27:44 and Kevin Graves (Silver Spring, MD/Good Counsel) crossed the finish line in 73rd place (27:47). Kevin Peggs (Richmond, VA/Monacan) finished 74th in 27:49 and Ryan Call (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) was 83rd in 28:12.
The LC women took 13th out of 22 squads on the 6K course. Kelly Archibald (Glen Allen, VA/Godwin) paced the Hornets in 55th place in 24:47, Amanda Diver (Boxford, MA/Masconomet) was 82nd in 25:51 and Michelle O'Rourke (Bay Shore, NY/West Islip) took 84th in 25:53. Ashley Armistead (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) was 93rd in 26:08, Emily Gannon (Bryn Mawr, PA/Haverford) placed 105th in 26:42, Jaime Thompson (Pompano Beach, FL/Westminster Academy) placed 107th in 26:49 while Megan Donnelly (McLean, VA/McLean) clocked a time of 27:19 to take 111th place.
Flynn will compete Saturday at the Division III NCAA National Championships, hosted by Ohio Wesleyan College (Delaware, OH).