Lady Buccaneers Place 8th in HBCUAC Cross Country Championships
DANVILLE, ALABAMA, October 17, 2025 – The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Women's cross country team secured an eighth-place finish at the 2025 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Cross Country Championships. The six-kilometer event was held at the Oakville Indian Mounds course in Danville, Alabama, and was organized by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
"I must commend my entire team for their outstanding performance this season and their inspiring effort at the HBCUAC Championships," stated head coach Dale Joseph. "Losing our top runner, Ariana Renault, before the championships was a setback for our ranking aspirations; however, the team gave their best, and I am proud of their efforts."
Sophomore Abigail Pruitt and junior Natalie Williams, both newcomers, rose to the occasion, leading the relatively inexperienced Lady Buccaneers through a competitive race against their conference rivals.
Pruitt, who began with a slower pace, managed to navigate her way through the field, overtaking several competitors in the final two kilometers to launch herself upwards in the final standings. The Kodiak, Alaska native was the first Lady Buccaneer to complete the course, finishing in 23rd place with a time of 32:58.73.
Williams, who started strong, maintained her pace throughout the race, running in the middle of the pack. The 5-foot-9 runner from Shelby, North Carolina, finished closely behind Pruitt, clocking a time of 33:14.03 and securing 24th place.
Junior Gabrielle Quetel achieved a personal record with a time of 38:07.70, improving her performance by over a minute compared to last year's championship race.
Senior Aisha Sabur followed Quetel as the next Lady Buccaneer to cross the finish line, concluding her cross country career at the HBCUAC Championships. Sophomore Ruby completed the lineup for the Lady Buccaneers.
The Talladega Tornadoes claimed the HBCUAC Conference Title with a total score of 24 points.
As for UVI, the team finished with a score of 170 points in the final standings, with just 15 points separating the 5th- and 8th-place teams with an average time of 41:21.