The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) men's cross-country team competed in its second meet of the season, placing 13th in the eight-kilometer race at the Ave Maria Invitational in Ave Maria Florida. The race featured a mixture of regional National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I and II institutions.
Freshman Mark Hayes-Ayala set the pace on the course for the UVI. Hayes-Ayala was the first Buccaneer to cross the finish line recording a time of 36:46.10, shaving just over 15 seconds off of his time in his previous meet.
Rayhan Sabur, a sophomore sprinter, made an impressive debut for the Buccaneers as he transitioned from track and field over to cross country. Sabur finished shortly after Hayes-Ayala, posting a time of 37:17:10.
“Rayhan is a competitor; I am not surprised by his showing in this meet,” said head coach Dale Joseph. “For him to make this transition seamlessly says a lot about him as an athlete and the development takes place in this program as well.”
Nijai Nisbett, Gabriel Elcock, and Donell Dominique finished in 46:44.00, 52:13.02 and 59:51.03 respectively for the Buccaneers.
As a team, UVI received a score of 381 placing the team 13th overall. The Buccaneers posted a total course time of 3:52:52 with an average time of 46:35 per runner.
The host school, Ave Maria University, took first place in the event with a total time of 2:15:28.
The Buccaneers will wrap up their regular season on October 11 participating in their biggest meet yet, the Florida State University's Cross-Country Invite at the Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Florida. Hurricane Milton may alter the Buccaneers’ travel plans, so log on to www.uviathletics.com for the latest updates on the FSU Cross Country Invite.
About UVI Athletics
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and a member of the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), formerly the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Entering the 2024-25 season, the Buccaneers will begin their 18th season of athletic competition. As the only Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, UVI currently sponsors six sports, including men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field. For more information on UVI Athletics, visit UVIAthletics.com.
