University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Upstate Invite
USC Upstate Cross Country Returns Home for Upstate Invite Saturday
10/16/2026 9:00:00 AM | Cross Country
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – USC Upstate cross country returns to action Saturday, Oct. 17, as the Spartans host the Upstate Invite at the Milliken Research Center in Spartanburg, S.C. The meet provides both the men's and women's teams another opportunity to compete on their home course as they continue preparing for the upcoming Big South Conference Championships.
Event Information
Meet: Upstate InviteÂ
Date: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026Â
Location: Milliken Research Center | Spartanburg, S.C.Â
Start Time: 9:00 a.m. (Men) | 9:45 a.m. (Women)
Live Results:Â https://tinyurl.com/5yd6ezu7
Last Time Out
USC Upstate enters Saturday's Upstate Invite following the 25th Annual Swags Louisville Cross Country Classic on Oct. 3 at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky., where several Spartans recorded personal-best performances. Both the men's and women's teams finished 23rd out of 24 teams, with the men collecting 636 points and the women finishing with 644.
On the men's side, Mason Parish led the Spartans in the 8K with a time of 25:46.2, finishing 118th overall. Aiden Abrahams followed with a personal-best time of 25:59.2, while Eric Perry crossed the finish line in 26:09.6 and Cameron Moors finished in 26:11.3. Several other Spartans recorded personal records, including Trent Manning (26:16.8), Yariel Ferretti (26:39.0), Elias Harrison (26:46.3) and Jackson Williams (26:57.4).
On the women's side, Jordan Thornton led Upstate in the 5K with a time of 18:52.7, placing 128th overall. Grace Glassmeyer followed in 19:15.7, while Sophia Outhous crossed in 19:26.1. The Spartans also saw several personal-best performances, including Breanna Sturtevant (19:46.0), Maureen Ortiz (19:54.5), Arabella Brownlee (20:13.8) and Jada Makis (20:26.9).
The performances in Louisville provided valuable experience against a competitive field as the Spartans prepare to return home for Saturday's Upstate Invite at the Milliken Research Center.
Next Challenge
Saturday's Upstate Invite provides the Spartans an opportunity to compete at the Milliken Research Center as they enter the final stretch of the regular season. Racing on their home course gives both squads another chance to build consistency and confidence ahead of postseason competition.
The meet marks Upstate's fourth competition of the 2026 season and serves as the Spartans' final scheduled regular-season meet before hosting the Big South Cross Country Championships on Oct. 30. The Spartans will then turn their attention to the NCAA Southeast Regional on Nov. 13.
Saturday's competition gives head coach Carson Blackwelder's squads another opportunity to build momentum and fine-tune their performances as they prepare for the championship portion of the schedule.
