Memphis, TN- The Christian Brothers University women's cross country team put together a gritty performance this weekend, placing multiple runners in the top half of the field at the Rhodes Invitational. Led by a balanced group effort, the Lady Bucs showed depth and consistency against a strong field of Division I, II, and regional competition.

Kaley Byrd paced CBU with a 17th-place finish, clocking 19:24.97 to secure valuable team points and set the tone for the Bucs. Right behind her, Phoebe Steel crossed in 19:26.22 for 18th overall, keeping the Bucs' scoring tight up front.

Sophomore Lauren Blyth continued her strong start to the season, coming through in 22nd place with a time of 19:32.92. Veteran Annaggeliki Zannetou (35th, 20:17.05) and Danielle Booker (64th, 22:10.17) rounded out the top five for CBU, securing the team's scoring.

Also competing for the Lady Bucs were Laura De Llano (77th, 23:13.76) and Elen Skar (80th, 23:24.37), both adding depth and experience to the squad.

Facing top finishers from Memphis, Arkansas State, Rhodes, and Mississippi College, CBU proved its ability to battle in the middle of the pack and close gaps as a unit. With Byrd and Steel finishing just two seconds apart, and Blyth not far behind, the Bucs demonstrated the kind of pack running that will be key in conference play later this fall.

Head Coach Bill Hoffman praised the team's performance, saying, "I'm proud of the way our group stayed connected. We talk a lot about running for each other, and today we saw that. Our goal is to keep closing gaps and competing with confidence heading into the season."

The Lady Bucs will be back in action on October 11th at UAH, where they'll look to continue building momentum.