Last Friday, the Drake women’s cross-country team’s ‘B’ squad finished second in the Grand View Invitational. Led by freshman Melissa Parks, who finished eighth overall, the ladies navigated the Ewing Park course in the chill of late September.

Parks is from Norfolk, Neb., but she did not feel far from home when the gun sounded at 5 p.m. last Friday. Despite this being Park’s first five-kilometer race, she finished with a team-best time of 19: 39. She was enthused to see that her team did well.

“It was great to turn around after the race and see my team packed up heading through the line as well,” Parks said. “Our team really had a great day. This course reminded me a lot of my high school home course; it was quite hilly, but it was a fast course.”

Rounding out the top 10 was sophomore Erin Poss in ninth with a time of 19:53, and sophomore Celia Venezia in 10th in 19:54.

Next on the Bulldogs’ schedule is the Walt Disney Cross Country Classic held in Orlando, Fla., this Saturday. The team hopes it will get some free time so it can see some Florida sun off the course.

“I am very eager to run in Orlando,” Parks said. “I love traveling, and it will be even better getting to go with my teammates. We will be leaving Friday morning and not getting back until Sunday, so hopefully we’ll have some time to sight-see after our race Saturday morning.”

Saturday, Oct. 8

Men’s and women’s cross country head to Orlando, Fla., for the Walt Disney Cross Country Classic this weekend.