BOWIE, Md. - The Bowie State men's and women's cross-country teams will return to competition Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Petersburg, Va., to compete in the HBCU Challenge. The meet will give both Bowie State squads another opportunity to test themselves against a competitive field while continuing to build toward the 2026 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Cross Country Championships.
When: Saturday, Oct. 3
Where: Petersburg, Va.
Women's Race: 5K
Men's Race: 8K
Meet Schedule: Click Here
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Bulldogs Return to Competition
Bowie State enters the HBCU Challenge looking to continue the progress made during the opening portion of the 2026 season. The Bulldogs have used their first meets of the campaign to gain valuable race experience and establish a foundation as they prepare for the championship portion of the season. Both the Bowie State men's and women's squads will have the opportunity to compete against several HBCU programs at the HBCU Challenge, providing another strong test for the Bulldogs as the season continues.
Last Time Out for the Bulldog Men
The Bowie State men's team will be led by sophomore Sean Trader, who paced the Bulldogs in their season-opening meet at the Delaware State University Sting Invitational. Trader finished 15th overall in the 5K with a time of 17:33.2. Chase Garcia followed with a 28th-place finish in 18:40.7, while Keshon Tate placed 43rd at 23:11.7. Michael Price finished 44th with a time of 23:25.3, and Kevin Joy rounded out the Bulldogs' scoring five with a 45th-place finish in 26:06.0.
As a team, Bowie State finished sixth with 165 points, recording a combined team time of 1:48:56 and averaging 21:47 per runner.
Last Time Out for the Bulldog Women
The Bowie State women's team enters the HBCU Challenge following a fourth-place finish at the Delaware State Sting Invitational, where the Bulldogs totaled 104 points. Leilani Gibson led the way for Bowie State, finishing eighth overall in the women's 5K with a time of 21:35.4. Emetem Bezezuh followed closely behind with a 10th-place finish in 22:07.4. Destinie Mayo placed 25th in 24:50.3, while Anijah Medley finished 36th with a time of 26:51.8. Sydney Anderson rounded out Bowie State's scoring five, placing 38th in 28:33.2. The Bulldogs combined for a team time of 2:03:57, averaging 24:47 per runner in their season-opening competition.
Up Next
Following the HBCU Challenge, the Bulldogs will continue their 2026 campaign with the Lincoln University XC Challenge hosted by Licoln University in Chester County, Pa., before turning their attention to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Cross Country Championships in Salem, Va.
For the latest on Bowie State Athletics and its 14 varsity teams, visit BSUBulldogs.com and follow the Bulldogs on social media.
