Stringer PR Highlights Avila Season Opener

AUGUSTA, Kan. -- Tink Stringer posted a personal-best time of 16:23.6 to lead the Avila University women's cross country team to a ninth-place finish at the J.K. Gold Classic on Saturday. The team's average time of 17:26.1 is the fastest for a 4K race in school history. On the men's side, Tyler King paced the Eagles with a time of 21:28.5 in the 6K, good for a 13th-place team finish.

In addition to Stringer's PR, Abigail Conner (17:52.3) and Aubrey Cravy (18:01.3) also posted career-bests in the 4K distance, with Madison Carlton posting a solid time in her first collegiate race. The Eagles finished fourth among Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference teams competing in the event, with York College edging AU by .61 second overall.

This was the first race at the 6K distance for all five members of the Avila squad, and marked the collegiate debut for James Roth and Myelle Tealer. King's per-mile pace of 5:45.6 was 12 seconds better than his pace from the 2018 KCAC Championship meet.

Next up for the Eagles is the Tabor Cottonwood Challenge on September 28.

Avila Women's Results (1:27:10.4, 270 pts)
Pl-Runner (mile avg, pts)
46-Tink Stringer 16:23.6 (6:35.7, 33)
77-Penny Fenn 17:24.1 (7:00.0, 54)
80-Madison Carlton 17:28.8 (7:01.9, 56)
92-Abigail Conner 17:52.3 (7:11.4, 62)
96-Aubrey Cravy 18:01.6 (7:15.1, 65)

Avila Men's Results (1:57:38.4, 369 pts)
Pl-Runner (mile avg, pts)
65-Tyler King 21:28.5 (5:45.6, 48)
96-James Roth 22:27.7 (6:01.5, 68)
109-Tom Bettis 23:15.1 (6:14.2, 75)
127-Matt Roth 24:29.4 (6:34.1, 85)
140-Myelle Tealer 25:57.7 (6:57.8, 93)