BOONE, N.C. ? UNC Wilmington's women finished sixth overall and the men claimed 15th place in the Gold races of the Blue Ridge Open Cross Country Invitational late Friday at the State Farm Complex.

      UNCW, making its fourth appearance of the season, was one of 35 schools competing in the event on the Don Kennedy Trails. The Seahawks used the race as a tuneup for the Colonial Athletic Association Championships in two weeks at Bull Run Park in Manassas, Va.

      Junior Bernadette O'Neill (Garner, N.C.) finished 24^th out of 194 runners to lead UNCW's women. With a time of 19 minutes flat on the 5K course, it marked the first time this season that O'Neill has led the Seahawk harriers at the finish line.

      Freshman Kelly Carmichael (Alexandria, Va.) clocked a 26:41 to pace UNCW's men on the 8K layout. He came in 80^th out of 210 runners.

      The Seahawk women finished sixth out of 26 entries in the Gold race with a total of 212 points, behind Clemson (74), High Point (83), Coastal Carolina (111), Appalachian State (127) and Davidson (173). The Seahawks wound up with 444 points for 15^th place in the 26-team men's race.