LIVINGSTON, Ala. – The University of West Alabama men's and women's cross country teams are back in action this weekend as they travel to Huntsville, Ala., to compete in the Chargers XC Invitational, hosted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The men's 8K race is set to begin at 8 a.m., followed by the women's 5K at 8:50 a.m.

The Tigers return to competition following a solid showing at last weekend's Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark., where both squads gained valuable experience against one of the largest and most competitive fields in the country. The UWA women's team finished 13th overall with a team score of 349 in the 5K, while the men's team placed 25th in the 8K with a score of 627.

On the women's side, Mercy Lomuria continued her impressive freshman campaign, leading the Tigers with an 18th-place finish (19:12.7). Miriam Dominguez-Tellez (19:49.8) and Rita Walker (20:01.8) followed close behind, placing 41st and 46th, respectively.

For the men, Mathis Breton once again paced the Tigers with a 25:29.9 finish, followed by Gary Mata (26:05.4) and freshman Lorenzo Pelusi (26:32.6). Pelusi's consistency this season has not gone unnoticed—he was named the Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week for the second time this year following his performance in Fayetteville. The recognition marks Pelusi's second GSC weekly honor in three meets, further establishing him as one of the conference's top young runners and a key contributor to UWA's depth on the men's side.

This weekend's meet will feature another competitive field, including several Gulf South Conference programs such as UAH, Christian Brothers, Lee, Montevallo, West Florida, and Valdosta State. The Tigers will look to carry their momentum into Huntsville as they continue preparing for the championship stretch of the season.