Royals Cross Country Competes at Maryville College Invitational

The Johnson University men's and women's cross country teams took to the course at the 2025 Maryville College Invitational this weekend, testing their speed and endurance against a competitive regional field.

In the women's 6K race, the Lady Royals finished sixth overall with a total team time of 2:36:32. Sophomore Kaylee Dyke led the way for Johnson, finishing 39th out of 65 runners, continuing her steady improvement throughout the fall season.

On the men's side, the Royals placed seventh as a team in the 8K race with a total time of 2:50:17. Cooper Dodson paced Johnson, finishing 54th out of 70 runners in a strong showing against a deep field.

Head coach Brody Blalock praised his teams' effort and focus, saying, "I'm pretty pleased by how both teams competed. We got the chance to test ourselves against some conference opponents and we competed well. Super proud of the mentality we had going into it."

Both teams will return to action on October 24 at the NAIA Appalachian Challenge, hosted at Sequoyah Park in Knoxville, Tenn.