GREENVILLE, S.C. – The University of North Georgia (UNG) women's cross country team opened the 2025 season victorious in the Bruins XC Night Classic hosted by Bob Jones in Greenville, S.C. Friday night.

Five of UNG's 10 runners finished in the top 10 individually Friday night, amounting to a team total time of 1:17:17 as the Nighthawks took first place in the event. Mars Hill, Brenau, Columbia and King rounded out the top five.

The win marks UNG's 24th team title in program history and first since the 12th Annual UNG XC Invitational last season. The Nighthawks last took home hardware in a race hosted by Bob Jones when they won the 2022 Bob Jones XC Invitational.

Freshman Ahna Hicks was UNG's top finisher as she concluded the 4k in second place with a 15:04.6 time to start her collegiate career on a high note.

Sophomore Maggie Welp followed in fourth place with a time of 15:22.2 to mark a new career best in a 4k race. Welp surpassed her previous personal best by 54 seconds on Friday.

Another newcomer in freshman Tessie Braman had a hot start to her career as the Lookout Mountain, Ga. native came in sixth place at 15:27.0. Sophomore Aubrey Dishman was just behind her teammate in seventh place with a 15:27.6 finishing time, marking a new career best by more than a minute.

Freshman Jordan Starling rounded out the Nighthawk top-10 finishers as she landed in 10th place with a 15:56.8 pace. 

Sophomores Katelyn Harper and Teagan Lamp raced to 12th and 13th place finishes respectively. With Harper closing at 16:05.4 and Lamp finishing at 16:06.1, both second-year runners made new personal best times.

Freshman Harleigh Smith also recorded a top-15 finish to begin her collegiate career as she crossed the finish line at the 16:17.7 mark to end the competition in 15th place.

Senior Elizabeth Padilla Brun joined the returners in recording a new 4k personal best Friday. She had the largest improvement from last year, finishing the race with a 17:57.8 time to break her record by 1:33.2. 

Sophomore and Georgia Southwestern transfer Emma Morrow shined with an 18:42.9 pace in her first race as a Nighthawk as well.

Now UNG is set to return home and host the 13th Annual UNG XC Invitational. The race takes place on UNG's Gainesville campus at the UNG Cross Country Course on Friday, Sept. 12 with the starting gun scheduled to go off at 6:30 p.m.