University of North Florida
%20(1).png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational
Men's Cross Country Wins Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational
9/4/2026 8:30:00 PM | Men's Cross Country
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida Men's Cross Country claimed the team title in the 5K race at the Florida Intercollegiate XC Invitational at Cecil Field on Friday night.
North Florida totaled 41 points to place first in an 18-team field and finished 21 points ahead of second-place Embry-Riddle. North Florida placed seven runners inside the top 16 of the individual standings.
North Florida finished ahead of in-state schools Miami (FL), FIU, Florida Atlantic and South Florida, in addition to ASUN members Florida Gulf Coast, Stetson and Jacksonville.
Redshirt senior Paul Lespasio led the Ospreys with a third place finish and a time of 15:00.37, while sophomore Parker Banzhaf followed in sixth place with a time of 15:02.29.
Redshirt sophomore Alejandro Romagosa crossed the line next in 11th place at 15:07.40, while freshman Oliver Dempsey made his debut with a 12th place finish at 15:07.82.
Senior Colton Lawson and freshman Samuel Freas finished back-to-back in 13th place and 14th place with times of 15:09.40 and 15:09.69, respectively. Redshirt junior Andrew Mahorner rounded out the seven top 16 runners with a 16th place finish at 15:15.82. Freshman Jackson McLaughlin and freshman Landon Johnson finished 26th place and 33rd place, respectively, in their debuts.
The meet marked North Florida's lone home competition of 2026. For the fifth straight season, North Florida took home the team title in its season opener. Four of the five occurred with the Ospreys hosting in Jacksonville, Fla., while the outlier was in 2023 at the Mountain Dew Invitational, hosted by Florida.
UNF RESULTS
3. Paul Lespasio – 15:00.37
6. Parker Banzhaf – 15:02.29
11. Alejandro Romagosa – 15:07.40
12. Oliver Dempsey – 15:07.82
13. Colton Lawson – 15:09.40
14. Samuel Freas – 15:09.69
16. Andrew Mahorner – 15:15.82
26. Jackson McLaughlin – 15:26.52
33. Landon Johnson – 15:39.97
34. Joshua Gammage – 15:41.55
40. Isaac Morrison – 15:50.62
66. Demetrie Meyers – 16:16.06
UP NEXT
North Florida continues its 2026 season at the Queen City Invite, hosted by Queens (NC), on Sept. 11 in Charlotte, N.C.
