Pfeiffer Dominates Home Invitational Behind Borst's Individual Title

MISENHEIMER, N.C. (Sept. 5, 2026) — Host Pfeiffer placed five runners in the top seven and claimed the team championship Friday evening at the 2026 Pfeiffer University Cross Country Invitational, finishing with 19 points in a dominant performance on its home course on a very hot and humid course.

Senior Makayla Borst led the Falcons by capturing the individual title in 21:04.8 seconds over the women's 5K course. Teammate Izabella Delli Colli finished second in 21:22.5, giving Pfeiffer the top two spots in the field.

The Falcons quickly created separation in the team standings with freshmen Emily Yates and Lis Santiago placing fourth and fifth, respectively, before freshman Madalynn Gulledge secured the fifth scoring position with a seventh-place finish. Pfeiffer's scoring runners crossed the line within a spread of 2:19.8.

Salem finished second with 70 points, followed by Johnson & Wales (N.C.) with 80 and Johnson C. Smith with 91.

Borst and Delli Colli paced a Pfeiffer squad that finished nearly four times better than the runner-up team score. Yates posted a time of 21:38.1 and Santiago followed in 21:43.1 as all four Falcons finished among the race's top five competitors.

Additional depth came from senior Hayley Borst, who placed ninth overall in 23:54.6, and freshman Caylea Cline, who finished 14th in 25:25.9 as non-scoring runners.

Johnson & Wales's Grace Gant was third overall in 21:25.5, while Salem's Beatrix Alvarez finished sixth in 22:33.4.

FINAL RESULTS