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Virginia Union University's men's cross-country team won the school's first-ever CIAA Championship as the Panthers placed five runners in All-CIAA status at the CIAA Championship, held on Thursday, October 30, in Cary, N.C.

The Championship was the first conference championship since the VUU men's basketball team won the CIAA Championship in 2006 and the first non-basketball championship since the 2001 VUU Football team won the CIAA Championship.

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from something they have deep down inside of them-a desire, a dream, and a vision," VUU Head Cross-Country Coach Wilbert D. Johnson said.  "The formula for success is simple: practice and concentration, then more practice and more concentration."

VUU won the event with a team score of 26, far out-pacing the Panthers' closest competitor Bowie State University, which finished second with a team score of 63.

"To me, teamwork is a lot like being part of a family. It comes with obligations, entanglements, headaches, and quarrels," said Johnson.  "But the rewards are worth the cost."

VUU's Donovan Mundy placed third overall with a time of 26:14.12, followed by teammate Franck Charles, who placed fourth with a time of 26:21.94.

Virginia Union's Emmanuel Nelfrard was fifth with a time of 26:39.67 and VUU's Luis Neives was sixth with a time of 26:55.54.

VUU's DeAndre Horton was eighth with a time of 27:06.92.

"If you are going to be the person you ought to be, you've got to welcome competition," Johnson said.

The meet marked the first time a school has had five All-CIAA finishers since North Carolina Central University had five All-CIAA runners over 20 years ago.

In addition to the All-CIAA finishers, VUU's Wilbert D. Johnson was named the CIAA Coach of the Year in the Championship.