CARY, NC – Junior Fajr Kelly has been the North Carolina A&T women's cross team's top runner since she stepped on campus, running the lowest time of any Aggie at 10 straight meets. But there are signs that the Aggies program is improving because Kelly's streak was challenged a little more on Friday night at the 2023 Adidas XC Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Park. 

Kelly ran a team-best 19:26.2 in the 5k event to finish 41st overall. Freshman teammate Ryan Prioleau finished a little more than 10 seconds behind in 19:36.1 to finish 43rd as the Aggie women finished ninth overall with an average time of 20:04. Elon won the event with 32 points and an average time of 17:37.7, followed by William & Mary (70) and Richmond (81) in the top-3. Richmond's Elizabeth Purves finished as the top collegiate runner in 17:20.9. 

The men competed on Friday in a 6k race at WakeMed Soccer Park. Meet host N.C. State won the event with 15 points and an average time of 18:00. The top six runners, led by John Malach, belonged to the Wolfpack. NCSU was followed in the men's standings by second-place William & Mary and third-pace Duke. 

The Aggie men placed 14th with 394 points and an average time of 21:03. Junior Kylan Willis led the Aggies with a time of 19:30.2, as he finished in 46th. 

Senior Camille Herring posted the best 5k time in her career on the women's side by running a 20:22.7 to finish as the third-fastest Aggie. Fellow Senior Jayla Jones ran a 5k personal-best 20:57.7, finishing as the 62nd-best collegiate runner.

Sophomore Dawson Grogan ran a 6k personal-best 20:55 at last season's Adidas Challenge. He broke that mark on Friday by running a 20:51.3 to finish as the second-fastest Aggie. Freshman Kaleb Conway was not too far behind, finishing in 20:52.2. A&T returns to action in three weeks when they return to WakeMed Soccer Park to participate in the Cedric Walker HBCU Cross Country Challenge.