COLUMBUS – The Columbus State University Men's and Women's Cross-Country teams are set to compete in the 2025 Peach Belt Conference Championship on Saturday, October 25, in Milledgeville, Ga. Hosted by Georgia College & State University, the women's 5k championship will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET, followed by the men's 8k race at 10:15 a.m. ET. Both squads enter the postseason with momentum and a season of steady growth highlighted by standout performances.
The Cougars opened the fall with a podium finish at the VSU Border Clash, placing third overall with a team time of 2:15:29 on the 7.25k course. They carried that form into a fifth-place effort at the UNG XC Invitational, posting a time of 2:27:45 on a challenging 8k layout.
Columbus State continued its consistency with a sixth-place finish at the GCSU Bobcat Invite, clocking 2:27:28, before closing the regular season with its strongest performance. At the Clark Atlanta University Panther Invitational, the Cougars finished runner-up with a team time of 2:23:59 and just 33 points.
Blake Lewis has paced the Cougars throughout the year, highlighted by his third-place individual finish at the CAU meet in 28:47. His leadership, combined with steady contributions from the scoring five, has positioned CSU as a team to watch in the championship field.
The Lady Cougars mirrored that steady progression, racing in four invitationals and peaking late in the season. CSU opened with a 7th-place finish at the VSU Border Clash (1:59:39, 23:55 avg., 188 pts.), followed by an 8th-place result at the UNG XC Invitational (1:47:21, 21:28 avg., 226 pts.). Another 8th-place showing came at the GCSU Bobcat Invite (1:51:31, 22:18 avg., 222 pts.), keeping the Lady Cougars competitive in a strong regional field.
The highlight of the campaign came at the CAU Panther Invitational, where the Lady Cougars dominated the race to claim the team championship with a time of 1:49:33 (21:54 avg., 17 pts.).
Layla Albright led the charge, capturing the individual title at CAU with a commanding performance. Her emergence has added to the Lady Cougars' depth, complementing the experience of veteran runners as CSU looks to carry its championship momentum into Milledgeville.
With a season of consistent progress, the Cougars and Lady Cougars enter Saturday's Peach Belt Championship poised to make a statement against some of the region's top programs. The men bring depth and leadership into the 8k race, while the women rely on a mix of veteran presence and young talent in the 5k event.
Columbus State aims to translate its regular-season growth into postseason success as both teams compete for position in one of the toughest cross-country conferences in the Southeast.
