CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Davis & Elkins Cross Country teams competed in the Royals Challenge hosted by NCAA Division I Queens University of Charlotte Friday evening.

In the "Gold Race" championship division, the Senators men finished an impressive second place out of thirty competing institutions as they outraced a handful of Division I program and were only bettered by the Nation's second-ranked NAIA institution in Milligan. 

The Senator women were equally impressive, finishing eighth of twenty-nine schools and were the second-highest finishing Division program, behind nationally-ranked Wingate University. 

Between the two races, some of the Division I programs the Senators beat included Wake Forest, South Carolina, Winthrop, Campbell, College of Charleston, and UNC Greensboro. The meet in total had over 1000 individuals competing. 

Individually for the women, freshman Lydia Falkenstein once again was the top Senator finisher, running 18:00 to finish seventh overall and becoming the first D&E runner to ever finish top ten at the Royals Challenge. 

On the men's side, leading the way for the second meet in a row for the Senators was sophomore Jan Thewes who became the first men's D&E runner to finish in the top ten at the Royals Challenge. Thewes finished tenth place, running 24:56.

Full Results  

D&E Men in Gold Race (275 total runners) 
24:56, Jan Thewes (10th) 
25:16, Jackson Gibson (20th) 
25:33, Gabe Conder (31st) 
25:34, Carter McKenna (32nd)
25:41, Thijs Terlouw (41st)
25:43, Konnor Allison (42nd)
25:53, Christopher Lucas (50th)
26:01, Charlie Stephenson (57th)
26:10, Henry Schmidt (67th)
26:11, Cooper Gibson (70th)
26:17, Ryan Rasco (76th)
27:18, Slate Swiger (122nd) 

D&E Women in Gold Race (243 total runners) 
18:00, Lydia Falkenstein (7th)
19:02, Kaitlin Pappas (50th)
19:18, Ella Hesson (66th)
19:19, Savanna Hardman (67th)
19:43, Lauren Twyman (89th)
19:48, Cameryn Wheeler (96th)
20:14, Sierra Taylor (124th) 
20:26, Brooke Jacobs (135th)
20:30, Hannah Scoggin (138th)
20:53, Jensen Kraft (159th)
21:10, Suze Gipmans (168th) 
21:24, Zoe Belshan (174th) 

D&E Women in Blue Race (180 total runners) 
22:07, Rachel Snedden (66th)

D&E Men in Blue Race (217 total runners)
27:58, Paul Langkopf (26th)
28:37, TaKaleb Turner (46th)
29:41, Juan Amann (78th) 

Up Next

The Royals Challenge was the regular season finale. The Senators now head into the championship phase of their season. First up will be the MEC Championships on October 2t at Olgebay Resort. D&E will then compete in the Atlantic Regional Championships in Lock Haven, Pa. on November 4 where they will look to earn a trip to the National Championships (Top 3 team finish).