Results
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. (Aug. 30, 2025)--The Morgan State Lady Bears opened their 2025 cross country season on Saturday at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Season Opener, taking on a competitive field that included Norfolk State, Delaware State, and host UMES.
The Lady Bears showed promise in their first outing of the year, highlighted by two standout performances in the top 10.
Aaliyah Headley paced the team with a time of 17:28.98, finishing 7th overall. Not far behind,
Crystal Coke ran a strong race to secure 10th place with a time of 17:47.96, giving Morgan State two scorers inside the top tier.
The remainder of the squad added depth and consistency across the board:
● 14th –
Hemetii Apet (18:40)
● 16th – Sydney Moore (19:15)
● 21st –
Kayla More (19:52)
● 22nd –
Aiana Showell (21:12)
● 24th –
Kayla Gordon (21:43)
When the final scores were tallied, Morgan State finished fourth overall out of the four competing teams. While the Lady Bears came up short in the standings, the season opener served as an important benchmark and revealed areas of strength the team can build on as the year unfolds.
With Headley and Coke leading the way, the Lady Bears now shift their focus to their next test at the Delaware State Invitational on September 12 in Smyrna, Del. The meet will provide another opportunity for Morgan State to sharpen its competitive edge and continue climbing the standings.
"Today's meet gave us a clear understanding of where we stand as a team in training," said Morgan State head coach
Neville Hodge. "We had a strong team effort, and I believe we will only improve from this point. Our goal moving forward is to be more aggressive upfront and to finish stronger at the end."
For the Lady Bears, Saturday's effort was more than just results on paper, it was the beginning of their journey toward growth, resilience, and setting a higher bar for the season ahead.
FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified
high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's
Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus
designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit
www.morgan.edu.
