Gamecocks Return to Action at Adidas XC Challenge
CARY, N.C. (Sept. 18, 2025) – For the first time since 2019, South Carolina Cross Country will compete in the Adidas XC Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C.
The Gamecocks will race in a 5K tomorrow at 5:55 p.m., looking to represent the Garnet & Black in the Tar Heel State. Results for Friday’s race can be found here.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
This year’s edition of the Adidas XC Challenge will feature 18 women’s teams. Among those teams are 12 NCAA Division I teams: Campbell, Davidson, East Carolina, Elon, High Point, Liberty, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, N.C. State, North Carolina, Wake Forest and the Gamecocks.
The host school (N.C. State) leads the way ranked third nationally and first overall in the Southeast Regional, followed by North Carolina who sits 15th in the national rankings and third in the regional standings. Wake Forest (4th), South Carolina (5th), Elon (11th) and Liberty (13th) are also ranked inside the Southeast Regional Top 15 standings.
BACK IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY
The Gamecocks last competed at the Adidas XC Challenge in 2019 where they finished runner-up following 13 personal best times. Heather Stone led the charge for South Carolina in 2019, finishing fifth overall on the individual leaderboard after clocking 17:14.2, a mark that still ranks seventh in program history today.
KEEPING MOMENTUM
South Carolina is coming off a team win at the Covered Bridge Open in Boone, N.C. on Aug. 29, where six runners found their spots inside the Top 20 in program history for the 5K. The Gamecocks were led by Teresa Cherotich who repeated as individual champion of the Covered Bridge Open, clocking a personal best time of 16:52.8, ranking third fastest time in program history.
LINING UP FRIDAY
South Carolina will send 14 student-athletes to represent the Gamecocks in Cary this weekend. The Garnet & Black will be led by Cherotich in addition to Anya Arroyo and Mary Frances Iseman, who last time out clocked in personal best times of 16:56.5 (Arroyo) and 17:15.7 (Frances Iseman). Eline Mast and Abigail White were the final two scorers for the Gamecocks the last time out, running 17:29.6 (Mast) and 17:32.0 (White).
Three Gamecocks will look to make their Carolina Cross Country debuts this weekend: Jade Buridon, Salma Elbadra, and Abir Reffas. Buridon is a freshman from Soultz-les-Bains, France, while Reffas is a junior transfer from California Baptist and originally hails from Algeria. Elbadra competed for the Gamecock Track & Field squad and was the SEC Outdoor 1500m champion in addition to earning SEC Outdoor Newcomer of the Year.
