Mueller Posts Personal Best As Gamecocks Finish Sixth At Notre Dame

GOLD DIVISION RESULTS
OPEN 5K REULSTS 
 
South Bend, Ind. —-South Carolina cross country finished sixth out of 18 teams Friday at the Joe Piane Invitational hosted by Notre Dame at the Burke Golf Course. Senior Allie Mueller led the way for the Gamecocks finishing 11^th with a time of 17:51.26, her collegiate 5K personal best. This marks the second-straight season Mueller has set a collegiate personal best at the Joe Piane Invitational.
 
In total, Carolina had five finishers inside the top-50. Heather Stone was the second Gamecock to finish with a time of 18:06.61 to finish 22^nd. Anna Stoddard posted an 18:25.97 to finish 35^th while Sarah-Sims McGrath’s time of 18:33.88 placed her in 42^nd. Cailin Saylor round out the top-50 with a time of 18:40.72. 
 
Kelsey Larkin was shortly behind her teammates, posting a time of 18:41.47 to finish 51^st. Brooke Wilson wasn’t too far back, running a time of 18:46.85 to finish 54^th. 
 
Colleen Openshaw and Emily Crounse closed for South Carolina. Openshaw finished 57^th with a time of 18:51.49 while Crounse posted a time of 19:21.87 to finish 92^nd. 
 
Overall, five different Carolina runners posted improved 5K times from their last run three weekends ago (Mueller, Stoddard, McGrath, Larkin and Wilson). Mueller, Stone and Wilson all three significantly improved times from their last visit to the Joe Piane Invitational. As a team, Carolina improved upon a 13^th-place finish last season in the Gold Division 5K. 
 
“We’ve made some nice progress since last year,” cross country coach Andrew Allden said. “But the teams around us keep progressing, too, so we need to keep working. Overall, conditions were good and it was a beautiful day for a great meet to be at.” 
 
The Gamecocks also had runners competing outside the team format Friday at the invitational. 
 
In the Women’s Open 5K, Carolina was led by Maryah Nasir. Nasir was also joined by Kira Jenkins and Leah Ford to round out the Gamecocks runners in the Women’s Open 5K. Nasir finished 28^th out of 83 finishers with a time of 18:51.24, a personal best at South Carolina. Jenkins’ time of 19:24.99 was good enough for a 47^th-place finish. Ford was shortly behind with a time of 19:37.88 to finish 51^st in the open race. 
 
South Carolina returns  to action and the Palmetto State on Oct. 6 for the Charleston Classic. For more information on Carolina, continue to check with gamecocksonline.com. 
 
FULL RESULTS 
Women’s Open 5K
Maryah Nasir – 18:51.24 (28^th) 
Kira Jenkins – 19:24.99 (47^th) 
Leah Ford – 19:37.88 (51^st) 
 
Gold Women’s 5K
Allie Mueller – 17:51.26 (11^th) 
Heather Stone – 18:06.61 (22^nd)
Anna Stoddard – 18:25.97 (35^th) 
Sarah-Sims McGrath – 18:33.88 (42^nd) 
Cailin Saylor – 18:40.72 (50^th) 
Kelsey Larkin – 18:41.47 (51^st) 
Brooke Wilson – 18:46.85 (54^th) 
Colleen Openshaw – 18:51.49 (57^th) 
Emily Crounse – 19:21.87 (92^nd)