WELLESLEY, Mass. – Wellesley College cross country hosted its annual season-opening 5k Wellesley Invitational at Nehoiden Golf Club on Friday evening. The Blue finished third out of eight teams.

Smith captured the team event with a winning score of 34. Coast Guard claimed second with 73 points, followed by Wellesley (77). Mount Holyoke (118), Springfield (131), Clark (145), Salve Regina (145) and Simmons (252) rounded out the competition.

Junior Ella Whinney (Madison, Wis.) led the Blue with a time of 18:37.9 to finish third out of 100 competitors. Classmates Emily Brydges (Suffield, Conn.) took 12th with a time of 19:01.9, followed by Claire Peng (Chapel Hill, N.C.) (15th - 19:20.9), Fiona Hanrahan (Falmouth, Maine) (24th - 19:41.0) and Elise Lanahan (Greensville, S.C.) (32nd - 20:14.3.)

Also racing for Wellesley was senior Alicia Naranjo-Champion (El Monte, Calif.) (37th - 20:25.7), first year Helen Yang (Los Angeles, Calif.) (47th - 20:53.4), senior Charlotte Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio) (49th - 20:56.4), first years Leeya Rice (Closter, N.J.) (61st - 21:35.7), Leah Willis (Mercersburg, Pa. (62nd - 21:35.7), Adelaide Maguire (Oakland, Calif.) (65th - 21:43.3) and senior Jesenia Lopez (Fontana, Calif.) (92nd - 25:35.1.).

The Blue will return to action at the Pop Crowell Invite, hosted by Gordon College on Saturday, September 14.