RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Union University men's cross-country team capped off an outstanding season with a 2nd-place finish at the 2025 CIAA Cross Country Championships — a major improvement from last year's 5th-place result and a clear sign of the program's continued growth.
"All season long, the men's team understood their mission: our main goal was to improve upon last year's fifth-place finish," said VUU Head Cross Country Coach
Franck Charles. "This year, we accomplished that, rising to an impressive second place overall — a significant step forward for our program."
The Panthers were led by a trio of standout freshmen who earned
All-CIAA Conference honors:
- Rodgers Korir – led the team throughout the season and finished 3rd overall with a time of 25:21.8.
- Darryl Hawkins – placed 7th overall.
- Keon Koonce – finished 14th overall, rounding out the All-CIAA trio.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that, of the seven Panthers competing, only three are true cross-country runners. The remaining student-athletes stepped up all season long, showing grit and determination to help the team succeed.
A special recognition goes to
Jonathan Holton,
Cah'lique Young,
Chase Burke, and
Tremayne Cowart for their resilience and commitment. Three of these athletes battled injuries throughout the season but continued to compete with toughness and heart.
"As a coach, all I can ask for is heart — and that's precisely what this group demonstrated," added Coach Charles. "I'm proud of their performance and how they represented our program."
With the cross-country season concluded, the Panthers will take a well-deserved break before turning their focus to the upcoming
indoor track season, where they aim to continue building on this momentum.
Coach Charles also extended his gratitude to his staff, saying, "A heartfelt thanks to my coaching staff for their hard work and dedication throughout the season."
