COOKEVILLE – Senior Mikaela Smith led Austin Peay State University's cross country teams with a top-15 finish at the Golden Eagle Invitational, Friday, at the Putnam Country Sports Complex.

Smith finished 14th at Tennessee Tech's event, posting a 19:49.8 five-kilometer, less than a second off her personal best (19:49.1) set last week at the Brescia Invitational. It is the second-straight week the St. Croix, Virgin Islands native has posted a top-15 finish and is her fourth-career top-20 perofmrance. 

Sara Martin was the second Governor to cross the finish line, coming in at 28th (20:24.4) and was followed by Sydney Hartoin (21:52.0, 45th) and Mikayla Filkins (21:53.6, 46th).

Larin Harr (22:43.1) and Lauren Lewis-Haynes (22:54.5) rounded out the Govs runners at the meet with 50th and 51st-place finishes, respectively.

The men were led by Connor Duncan for the fourth-straight time this season. Duncan finished 28th with a 28:12.7 eight-kilometer and was followed by Joseph Redman's 36th-place (30:23.9) afternoon.

The quartet of Elliot Reed (31:09.91,46th), Robert Mullen (31:22.10, 47th), Jack Fitzgerald (31:23.13, 48th) and Lennonn Matthews (31:30.48, 49th) crossed the finish line in sequential order, while Stone Norris finished just outside of the group at 51st (31:59.7).

After sixth-place finishes in Cookeville, Austin Peay returns to Vaughn's Creek Cross Country Course at Percy Warner Park in Nashville for the Ohio Valley Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, Saturday, Oct. 30.

It will be the third time the Govs have raced at Percy Warner Park this season after participating in the Belmont Opener and Commodore Classic to open the 2021 season.