HARDEEVILLE, S.C. –The Savannah State University women's cross country team returned to competition Saturday morning, finishing 10th overall at the 2026 USCB Sand Shark Cross Country Invitational, held at Sergeant Jasper Park.
The Lady Tigers totaled 268 points in the women's 5,000-meter race, competing against a field that included programs from NCAA Division II and other collegiate classifications.
Aniya Smith led the way for Savannah State, crossing the finish line in 51st place with a time of 26:10.1. Smith paced the Lady Tigers throughout the 5K course and was the team's top finisher.
Saniya Swain followed with a 63rd-place finish, recording a time of 29:01.4.
Victoria Taylor was the third Savannah State runner to cross the finish line, placing 69th with a time of 32:53.2.
Rounding out the Lady Tigers' scoring five were
Alana Jones and
Samyah Berry. Jones finished 70th overall with a time of 32:53.5, while Berry placed 73rd with a time of 34:12.2.
Savannah State's five scoring runners accounted for team placement points of 45, 50, 56, 57 and 60, respectively.
USC Aiken captured the women's team championship with 46 points, followed by Brenau University with 62 points. Bethune-Cookman and Maryville College tied with 103 points to round out the top four teams in the standings.
Savannah State Individual Results – Women's 5K
Savannah State will now turn its attention to the 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Cross Country Championships, scheduled for Friday, November 6, at the Georgia Premier Cross Country Course in Macon, Georgia.
The Lady Tigers will look to build on their performances throughout the regular season as they compete against conference opponents for the SIAC Championship.
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