LAKELAND, Fla. – The Florida Polytechnic University men's and women's cross country teams kicked off their inaugural 2026 season with a strong showing at Uncle Nick's Swan City Bagel Run, as the Phoenix saw several runners post impressive times across both squads.

On the women's side, Wileily Labori delivered the top performance for Florida Poly, crossing the finish line in 18:16.9. Labori separated herself from the rest of the Phoenix field and set the pace for a group that featured four finishers. Jennifer Perera followed with a time of 21:39.4, while Ashli Sivalls was close behind at 21:45.6. Hailey Vicent rounded out the Florida Poly women's results with a finish of 22:52.9.

Florida Poly's men were led by a tightly packed group at the front. Colin Hagner recorded the fastest time for the Phoenix at 20:25.3, while Justin Martin finished just behind Hagner with 20:45.1. Colby Thompson gave Florida Poly its third runner near the 21-minute mark, clocking a time of 21:00.8.

The Phoenix also received finishes from Fletcher Dean and Brandon Wilson. Dean completed the course in 24:50.8, while Wilson crossed the line in 27:13.9, giving Florida Poly five finishers on the men's side. The Phoenix men finished in seventh place, outperforming both Warner University and Beacon College

Florida Poly will look to build on the performance moving forward, with the Phoenix continuing to gain valuable race experience and establish their pace as the cross country season progresses.