AU men and women's XC teams get wins at Jaguar Cross-Country Invitational

The AU women get going at the start line in the Jaguar Invitational at Beech Island, S.C. AU’s Riley Triplett was the race winner, edging teammate Cassie Lagan. (photos by Madison Keel)

By Madison Keel | Photography editor

First places and first races were the themes of the Jaguar Cross-Country Invitational on Saturday Sept. 3, held at Redcliffe Plantation in Beech Island, S.C.  

The Augusta University men and women dominated the races, with Jaguar freshman Tripp Miller winning the men’s race and transfer Riley Triplett of AU capturing the women’s race.

The meet was hosted by Augusta University and had teams or individuals from Georgia College, Paine College, USC Aiken, Brewton-Parker College, Oxford College of Emory University and Lander University.  

The men started off the morning by running an 8-kilometer race. Augusta University quickly pulled ot the front and stayed there as they completed 3 laps around the course. Miller, freshman from Mobile, Ala., finished in a time of 27:13.33. This was his first official race as a Jaguar.

Miller was followed closely by Georgia College sophomore Philip Bulatao, who finished with a time of 27:14.41. Rounding out the top three positions was Augusta’s Matthew Moore, who finished in 27:22.34.

The AU men’s team took the overall first place as they had nine racers in the top twelve positions that were awarded.  

Matthew Moore (L) and Tripp Miller (149) paced the way for the AU men. Miller won the race, with Moore finishing third. (photo by Madison Keel)

The women followed that race with a 5-kilometer race, completing two and a half laps around the course. This race started pretty close, but two jaguars pulled away from the rest of the pack shortly into lap one.

AU sophomore transfer Triplett and sophomore teammate Cassie Lagan from Omagh, Ireland, went back and forth, overtaking each other in search for the first-place position. In the end Triplett pulled out ahead and won her first race as an Augusta Jaguar. She finished with a time of 19:50.82. Lagan placed second running a time of 20:06.20.

The top three was rounded off by Anna Agi from Georgia College with a time of 20:41.89.

The Augusta women’s team also took home the trophy for first overall with eight top twelve finishers.  

AU’s Riley Triplett, a transfer from Emmanuel College, shows her winning form at the Radcliffe course. (photo by Madison Keel)

The Jaguar Invitational was also Coach Jacob Burgamy’s first meet with that title.

“The men dominated and the women dominated,” he said. “That is exactly what we wanted.”

Burgamy, who held out his top male runners, said he was excited for the new season, stating that Augusta University was “where I ran,” so it is “awesome to get to coach the Jaguars now.” 

Up next for the Jaguars is the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational in Blacksburg, Va., on Sept. 16. The Jaguars will be running against a few NCAA Division I schools, so Burgamy says he’s “looking to compete with bigger teams.” The men will be running an 8K race and the women a 6K race. 

Contact Madison Keel at mkeel@augusta.edu.