Cross Country

ACC Announces Cross Country Performers of the Week

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Florida State swept Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Performer of the Week honors as David Barney was named on the men’s side, while Militsa Mircheva was recognized on the women’s side for the second time this season.
 
Duke’s Paul Dellinger and North Carolina’s Mitch Resor were named the Men’s Co-Freshmen of the Week, while NC State’s Dominique Clairmonte earned Women’s Freshman of the Week accolades.
 
Barney led the Seminoles for the second consecutive meet at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, covering the rolling 8,000-meter Buford Meredith Course in 24:52.4. The Lynchburg, Virginia, grad student who starred at William & Mary as an undergrad, broke from a pack of five runners from No. 26 Virginia Tech with one mile to go and nearly chased down the win in his first career race on the Hokies’ home course. Barney finished just two seconds behind Morehead State’s Farah Abdulkarim, the top collegiate runner, to lead the Seminoles’ second-place team finish.
 
Mircheva posted her second individual victory in as many meets this season, comfortably racing away to the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational title in a strong early-season 6,000-meter time of 20:45.0 at the challenging Buford Meredith Course. The Dobrich, Bulgaria, native led from the start and cruised to a 30-second win as the Seminoles – picked to finish 10th in the ACC – grabbed the top three spots overall to secure their second team title of the season. FSU’s 25-point total easily outdistanced runner-up Ohio (55) and host Virginia Tech (87).
 
Duke’s Dellinger, finished in third place with a time of 25:20.36 on the 8K course at the Winthrop Invite, helping the Blue Devils to a first-place team finish. UNC’s Resor had his second top-five finish in as many meets Saturday as he led the Tar Heels to a 49-point victory in the Mountains to Sea Open hosted by Appalachian State. Resor finished the 8K race with a time of 25:33.61.

NC State’s Clairmonte made her collegiate debut at the adidas XC Challenge, running a personal-best 5K in 17:02.2, just 2.2 seconds behind first-place teammate Beth Taye. The Lexington, Ohio, native helped key the Wolfpack’s 1-2-3 effort that netted a first-place finish in the 13-team field that included three squads from the ACC.