UVI Men’s Cross-Country Team Competes in Sunrise 5K

The Buccaneer men's cross country team from the University of the Virgin Islands competed in the 2025 Champions Track Club Sunrise 5K event held in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on September 13.

Three student-athletes from UVI represented the Buccaneers at the meet, including sophomores Mark Hayes-Ayala and Gabriel Elcock, along with freshman Lance Latare, with the two experienced runners taking the lead.

Hayes-Ayala, coming off a victory in the Buccaneers' only preseason event, was the first Buccaneer to reach the finish line, clocking in at 21:02. The 6-foot distance runner narrowly missed earning a medal, finishing in 5th place, just under a minute behind the medalists.

Elcock achieved a top-15 finish with a time of 24:57, while Latare made his debut in cross-country for the Buccaneers, finishing shortly after Elcock with a time of 25:29.

"In this race, we were without a few student-athletes competing for us, who would have excelled; nonetheless, I think the three runners we had showcased our program effectively, head coach Dale Joseph noted. "We have more races coming up to get ready for the HBCUAC Championships, and I am looking forward to the thrilling chance for our runners to excel both collectively and individually."

Next, the men's cross country team will head to Tortola, British Virgin Islands, to compete in the BVI College Classic on September 27, before returning to St. Thomas to conclude the regular season at the Founders Day Run on October 4.