TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida A&M's women's cross country team returns to Apalachee Regional Park this week for the Pre-Regional, hosted by Florida State, in Tallahassee, Florida, with the race taking place as a 5K on Friday, Sept. 18, at 8:20 a.m.
The meet serves as one of the final tune-ups on the fall schedule before championship season begins, with the Rattlers looking to build on recent performances against a deep, regionally strong field.
The meet is open to all NCAA institutions regardless of division, with the women's race run over 6K and the men's race over 8K. Apalachee Regional Park, set to host the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships, remains one of the premier courses in the country, giving FAMU a chance to measure itself against nationally ranked and regionally competitive programs alike on a course it will see again for Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and NCAA regional postseason racing.
Fans can rely on PTTiming for
live results.
Pre-Regionals hosted by Florida State Preview
Friday, September 18, 2026
Women's 5K | 8:20 a.m.
Live Results
Last Time Out
Florida A&M's Women's Cross Country ran away with the team title Friday evening at the Willie Laster Cross Country Invitational, scoring a near-perfect 20 points to top a six-team field that included host Albany State, Columbus State and Savannah State. The event was held at Radium Springs Park in Albany, Georgia.
Rose Muturi led the Rattlers and the entire race, crossing the line first in a time of 18:46.10 on the night – a season-best for her, respectfully. Teammate
Crystal Malaykhan was right behind her in second place at 19:42.10, giving FAMU the top two spots in the race.
Albany State's Brea Vann was the only non-FAMU runner to crack the top three, finishing third in 19:49.60.
But the Rattlers reasserted themselves immediately after, as
Niya Coleman (19:56.40) and
Christina Fitzpatrick (20:02.21) placed fourth and fifth to round out Florida A&M's scoring pack through the front of the race.
Jaade McBride added an eighth-place finish (20:31.30) and
Bree Brooks was 10th (20:42.90) for the Rattlers, with
Leandra Ferrell rounding out FAMU's scorers in 13th (21:31.70).
Nina Story also competed unattached to the scoring lineup, finishing 17th in 22:08.90.
FAMU's 20 points were well clear of runner-up Albany State, which finished with 56 points behind Vann's third-place run along with Faith Thompson (ninth), Sydney Haywood (11th), Jehzaria Middleton (16th) and Charity Tukes (18th).
The Field at the Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational
The field at this year's Pre-Regionals features teams from Florida A&M, Florida State, Miami (Fla.), South Florida, Florida Southern, Stetson, Florida Gulf Coast and others.
The Course
Apalachee Regional Park includes one of the nation's few sites designed specifically for cross country running. This trail is a pristine, multi-surface course that hosts small and large running events. The facility features numerous course and distance options through the rolling hills, lowlands, and pine forests. The trail was designed to give runners the opportunity to run on several types of surfaces. When the trail is not being used for a running event, it is open to the general public for hiking, running, and biking. The park also has four lighted multi-purpose grass fields with American football field goals. The fields are also used for soccer and lacrosse. The parking area accommodates more than 3,500 vehicles at one time. Additionally, the park has a remote-control airplane and helicopter airfield.
Rattlers in Focus
Florida A&M will look to its returners for early-season leadership while continuing to develop depth throughout the roster. The meet offers another opportunity for the Rattlers to log a fast, competitive time on a true championship-caliber course ahead of SWAC Championship season.
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