The Howard University cross country program hit the ground running in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, competing in the 2025 NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet hosted by Lehigh University at the Goodman Campus XC Course.
Freshman Alexis Jones, who helped lead Howard to the 2025 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) women’s cross country title, made program history at the meet.
The freshman cut the Bison’s record time down by 11 seconds, finishing in 21:16.20, breaking the mark previously set in 2024 by alumna Joslyn Crosby.
Jones finished 55th out of 207 runners, the highest placing of the day for Howard.
“I came onto the Howard team wanting to make a name for myself, not just in the MEAC conference, but in general,” Jones said. “I know that breaking records is one step of getting there and knowing that I took the first step so early on in my year has given me confidence.”
The Mid-Atlantic region is among the most competitive in the country, featuring nationally ranked programs such as Georgetown University, West Virginia University, Princeton University and Villanova University.
West Virginia placed first in the women’s 6K race, while Princeton University claimed first overall for the men’s 10K race.
Team Captain Mira Martin was the next Bison across the line, taking 64th place in 21:26.00. Sophomore Kendall Robinson and junior Sarah Seam followed, placing 196th and 200th, respectively, with times of 24:22.30 and 24:41.80.
On the men’s side, sophomores William Shepherd and Paul Robinson, along with freshman Sayid Shakur, represented Howard in the championship race.
Shepherd led the trio, with a 139th place finish in 32:36.80. Robinson recorded a time of 33:38.60 for 163rd, while Shakur crossed just behind him in 33:42.00, placing 164th.
Throughout their fall season, both programs faced obstacles — from early-season injuries to the challenge of keeping a young roster healthy deep into championship racing.
“Since day one, we came into the season with the mentality of perseverance and resilience,” Shepherd said.
Despite the setbacks, Shepherd said the men’s team grew stronger as a unit.
“Our team has grown closer together, although we’ve had our runs with injuries and our inability to stay healthy with our young guys,” Shepherd said. “Overall, we have persevered a lot and that’ll follow up even more when we head into indoors and outdoors in the spring.”
As the Mid-Atlantic Regional meet closes the 2025 cross country season, the Bison now shift their focus to winter conditioning and preparations for the upcoming track and field campaign.
Looking ahead, Jones said she’s eager for her first collegiate track season, especially with the opportunity to compete against top programs at major meets.
“I’m really excited to compete at the collegiate level in track now,” Jones said. “I’m going to try my best to keep improving, making strides to get my name out there, and continue promoting Howard as an awesome school for athletics.”
Copy edited by Daryl R. Thomas Jr.
