Gainesville, Fla., (Sept. 15) — The Florida Gators Cross Country teams kicked off their 2023 season at the 2023 Mountain Dew Invitational, with the women’s team clinching first place and the men’s team finishing third. The women’s victory was particularly noteworthy, as they amassed 38 points thanks to five top-fifteen finishers. Photo Gallery
Gators Women Triumph, Men Secure Third Place at 2023 Mountain Dew Invitational
The men’s race commenced just 25 minutes after sunrise at the Mark Bostick Golf Course. Joe Wester led the Gators, finishing ninth with a time of 24:36.40 in the 8k race.
Read more: How to watch the 2023 Woodbridge Cross Country Classic
The team accumulated 117 points, with Ethan Geiger, Javi Vento, Josh Stern, and Orlando Cicilioni also contributing to the third-place finish.
Shortly after the men’s race, the women took to the three-mile course. Allison Wilson, a transfer from the University of Alabama, marked her first race in three years by finishing first overall with a time of 16:38.70.
Her teammates Liina Winborn, Vasileia Spyrou, Rylee Pustilnik, Olivia Jones, and Sayla Donnelley also finished in the top twenty, helping the team beat out Vanderbilt for the first-place finish.
2023 Mountain Dew Invitational Results
Men’s Team Scores
| Team | Place | Points |
| North Florida | 1st | 30 |
| Georgia Tech | 2nd | 40 |
| Florida | 3rd | 117 |
| Flagler | 4th | 154 |
| Embry-Riddle | 5th | 158 |
| Vanderbilt | 6th | 168 |
| Florida Southern | 7th | 181 |
| Tampa | 8th | 211 |
| South Florida | 9th | 232 |
| Chattanooga | 10th | 236 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 11th | 270 |
| Stetson | 12th | 318 |
| Florida Atlantic | 13th | 419 |
| FIU | 14th | 451 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 15th | 490 |
Women’s Team Scores
| Team | Place | Points |
| Florida | 1st | 38 |
| Vanderbilt | 2nd | 42 |
| Georgia Tech | 3rd | 62 |
| Chattanooga | 4th | 130 |
| Flagler | 5th | 132 |
| North Florida | 6th | 151 |
| South Florida | 7th | 222 |
| Florida Atlantic | 8th | 236 |
| Stetson | 9th | 270 |
| Florida Gulf Coast | 10th | 288 |
| Florida A&M | 11th | 359 |
| Florida Southern | 12th | 362 |
| FIU | 13th | 363 |
| Bethune-Cookman | 14th | 444 |
The Gators will next compete in the FSU XC Invitational in Tallahassee, Florida, marking their second meet of the 2023 season. With the Mountain Dew Invitational serving as a strong opening act, expectations are high for the remainder of the season.
