BOWIE, Md. -- The Bowie State men's and women's cross-country teams will return to competition Friday when the Bulldogs travel to Ettrick, Va., to compete in the Virginia State Challenge. The meet will provide both Bowie State squads with another opportunity to build on their opening-season performances and gain valuable experience as the 2026 cross-country season continues.

When: Friday, Sept. 25
Where: Ettrick, Va.
Women's Race: 4 p.m. – 5K
Men's Race: 4:45 p.m. – 8K
Meet Schedule: Click Here
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Bulldogs Return to Competition
Bowie State enters the Virginia State Challenge following a strong opening meet at the Delaware State University Sting Invitational. Both Bulldog squads competed against a competitive field that included Delaware State, Morgan State, Coppin State, Lincoln (PA), Maryland Eastern Shore and Cheyney. The women's team finished fourth overall with 104 points, while the men's squad placed sixth with 165 points.
 
Last Time Out for the Bulldog Men
The Bowie State men's team was led by sophomore Sean Trader at the Delaware State Sting Invitational. Trader finished 15th overall in the 5K with a time of 17:33.2, pacing the Bulldogs in their season-opening meet.Chase Garcia followed Trader with a 28th-place finish in 18:40.7, while Keshon Tate finished 43rd at 23:11.7. Michael Price crossed the finish line in 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 and recorded a combined team time of 1:48:56, averaging 21:47 per runner.
 
Last Time Out for the Bulldog Women
Following the Bulldog women's fourth-place team finish at the Delaware State Sting Invitational, totaling 104 points. BSU was led by Leilani Gibson, earning an eighth-place overall finish in the women's 5K with a time of 21:35.4. Emetem Bezezuh followed closely behind, placing 10th overall at 22:07.4, while Destinie Mayo finished 25th with a time of 24:50.3, and Anijah Medley placed 36th in 26:51.8. Sydney Anderson rounded out Bowie State's scoring five, finishing 38th with a time of 28:33.2. The Bulldogs combined for a team time of 2:03:57 and averaged 24:47 per runner in the season-opening competition.
 
Looking Ahead
Following the Virginia State Challenge, the Bulldogs will continue their 2026 campaign with the Bison Invitational hosted by Howard University in Washington, D.C., before turning their attention to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Cross Country Championships in Salem, Va.
 
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