Saturday, October 17
Salem, Va.
10:00 AM ET
Liberty University
at
Roanoke XC Invitational
Sophia Park finished third to lead the Lady Flames at Saturday's Roanoke XC Invitational.
Front-Running Flames Fare Well at Roanoke XC Invitational
10/17/2026 12:05:00 PM | Cross Country
SALEM, Va. – Liberty's four women's runners stayed near the front of the pack throughout Saturday's Roanoke XC Invitational at Green Hill Park. In the end, the duo of Sophia Park (third place) and Sonja Semling (fourth) paced four Lady Flames among the women's 6K's top 17 finishers.
With only four entrants, Liberty did not register a team score. Paced by individual champion Kensington Black (21:51.8), Ohio Northern took first place with 47 points.
Race Reactions
Liberty will head to Huntsville, Ala., for the 2026 CUSA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships. The meet will take place on Oct. 31 at John Hunt Park.
The women's 6K will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern and the men's 8K will follow at 11 a.m. Eastern, with both races set to air on ESPN+.
The Liberty women's squad will aim for its third consecutive CUSA title.
With only four entrants, Liberty did not register a team score. Paced by individual champion Kensington Black (21:51.8), Ohio Northern took first place with 47 points.
Race Reactions
- Park (third, 22:03.5), Semling (fourth, personal-best 22:12.4), Kaila Atteberry (eighth, personal-best 22:51.1) and Raley Keith (17th, personal-best 23:19.5) all finished well among the field of 139 women's competitors.
- For both Park and Semling, it marked their second career top-10 finish at this meet. Park came in 10th at the 2024 Roanoke XC Invitational, helping Liberty claim the team title. Semling was eighth at last season's Roanoke XC Invitational as a freshman, racing unattached.
- Atteberry was the top freshman finisher in Saturday's women's 6K, defeating Lynchburg's Savannah Wood by 10 seconds for that honor. Keith crossed the line as the race's third fastest freshman.
- Two other Lady Flames competed unattached, including Anna Fletcher (runner-up, 22:00.5) and Cheyenh Smith (19th, 23:23.4).
Liberty will head to Huntsville, Ala., for the 2026 CUSA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships. The meet will take place on Oct. 31 at John Hunt Park.
The women's 6K will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern and the men's 8K will follow at 11 a.m. Eastern, with both races set to air on ESPN+.
The Liberty women's squad will aim for its third consecutive CUSA title.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
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