University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, September 26
Princeton, NJ
9:30 a.m.
North Carolina
at
Princeton Meadows Challenge
Cross Country Rattles Off Top-Five Finishes At Princeton Meadows
September 26, 2026 | Cross Country
PRINCETON, N.J. --Â The North Carolina cross country programs wrapped up the Princeton Meadows Invitational Saturday morning with two top-five finishes in the men's and women's races.
The morning opened with the men's 8k at the Princeton meet. The UNC men claimed a top-five finish, placing only behind No. 4 Alabama and Syracuse.
Individually, the Tar Heels had two representatives in the top 20: Caden Leonard at 15th and Joe Barrett at 18th. Leonard ran off with a time of 23:37.8 and Barrett at 23:33.1 in their first 8k of the season. Six Tar Heels on the men's side wrapped the morning with sub-24-minute times.
As a team, the men tallied 129 points en route to their fifth-place finish.
Moving into the women's 6k, the No. 19 Tar Heels ran off to a second-place finish as a team behind No. 10-ranked Alabama. Carolina bested two other ranked squads in No. 13 Penn State and No. 25 Princeton.
The top finisher of the day in Carolina Blue, Ciara O'Shea, rattled off a 20:01.1 6k to place 10th overall. Logan St. John Kletter and Pia Beaulieu joined O'Shea in the top-15 with respective times of 20:15.7 and 20:24.1.
With a total of 75 points, the women earned its second-top two finish of the fall.
Carolina returns to action on Oct. 16 at the Pre-National Invitational hosted by Indiana State. Action from Terre Haute begins at 10 a.m. ET.
Men's 8k Results: 5th Place
15. Caden Leonard – 23:27.8
18. Joe Barrett – 23:33.1
30. Noah Breker – 23:44.5
32. Brian Burns – 23:45.0
34. Robert Mechura – 23:50.8
39. Jacob Laney – 23:55.0
48. Tommy Latham – 24:03.8
54. Luke Pash – 24:07.3
81. Jack Bowen – 24:30.3
98. Joe Sapone – 24:45.4
Women's 6k Results: 2nd Place
10. Ciara O'Shea – 20:05.1
14. Logan St. John Kletter – 20:15.7
15. Pia Beaulieu – 20:24.1
17. Maddie Gardiner – 20:28.9
19. Reese Dalton – 20:31.1
24. Kinley Wolfe – 20:38.9
39. Libby Castelli – 20:50.5
42. Katelyn Rupe – 20:56.0
78. Hannah Rae Shaffer – 21:28.0
111. Alli Delisi – 21:48.1
114. Camryn Wennersten – 21:49.5
The morning opened with the men's 8k at the Princeton meet. The UNC men claimed a top-five finish, placing only behind No. 4 Alabama and Syracuse.
Individually, the Tar Heels had two representatives in the top 20: Caden Leonard at 15th and Joe Barrett at 18th. Leonard ran off with a time of 23:37.8 and Barrett at 23:33.1 in their first 8k of the season. Six Tar Heels on the men's side wrapped the morning with sub-24-minute times.
As a team, the men tallied 129 points en route to their fifth-place finish.
Moving into the women's 6k, the No. 19 Tar Heels ran off to a second-place finish as a team behind No. 10-ranked Alabama. Carolina bested two other ranked squads in No. 13 Penn State and No. 25 Princeton.
The top finisher of the day in Carolina Blue, Ciara O'Shea, rattled off a 20:01.1 6k to place 10th overall. Logan St. John Kletter and Pia Beaulieu joined O'Shea in the top-15 with respective times of 20:15.7 and 20:24.1.
With a total of 75 points, the women earned its second-top two finish of the fall.
Carolina returns to action on Oct. 16 at the Pre-National Invitational hosted by Indiana State. Action from Terre Haute begins at 10 a.m. ET.
Men's 8k Results: 5th Place
15. Caden Leonard – 23:27.8
18. Joe Barrett – 23:33.1
30. Noah Breker – 23:44.5
32. Brian Burns – 23:45.0
34. Robert Mechura – 23:50.8
39. Jacob Laney – 23:55.0
48. Tommy Latham – 24:03.8
54. Luke Pash – 24:07.3
81. Jack Bowen – 24:30.3
98. Joe Sapone – 24:45.4
Women's 6k Results: 2nd Place
10. Ciara O'Shea – 20:05.1
14. Logan St. John Kletter – 20:15.7
15. Pia Beaulieu – 20:24.1
17. Maddie Gardiner – 20:28.9
19. Reese Dalton – 20:31.1
24. Kinley Wolfe – 20:38.9
39. Libby Castelli – 20:50.5
42. Katelyn Rupe – 20:56.0
78. Hannah Rae Shaffer – 21:28.0
111. Alli Delisi – 21:48.1
114. Camryn Wennersten – 21:49.5
Players Mentioned
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