RIVERA SETS COURSE RECORD AS ROANE STATE HOSTS LARGEST CROSS COUNTRY MEET YET

A female cross country runner in a red singlet with a black R logo leads a pack of competitors across a grassy course on a sunny day. Several runners in white and black Tusculum uniforms and one in an orange Tennessee shirt follow behind, with trees and hills in the background.
Roane State sophomore Savannah Rivera sprints to the lead in the women's 5K.
September 16, 2025

HARRIMAN — Roane State's cross country program celebrated its largest home meet Friday, September 12, 2025, and sophomore Savannah Rivera stole the show by smashing the women's course record with an 18:54 run.

Rivera, a transfer sophomore, blazed through the 5K in 18 minutes, 54 seconds to headline the Raiders' second-ever home race and the first on a redesigned course at Roane State's flagship campus. Her time trimmed nearly two minutes off the previous women's mark.

"Savannah's training is coming together," head coach Bobby Holcombe said. "She's coming off a long injury, and today was the first time everything really clicked. Her performance was phenomenal."

The meet drew six programs, doubling last year's field. It was also the debut of an expanded track layout that Holcombe credited to months of work by staff, volunteers and area Boy Scouts. Crews cleared extra land for the wooded trail, reducing the number of loops and improving footing.

"We wanted something that felt like a true college course," Holcombe said. "The surface is firmer now, and it gives teams a chance to open up instead of just running circles."

Rivera's record run anchored a promising day for the women's squad, which Holcombe said is "starting to really develop." He praised the group's commitment and said he believes the roster can grow into a pipeline for East, Middle and West Tennessee runners.

"We've got a great culture," Holcombe added. "Whether it's five runners or 25, they support each other and take pride in representing Roane State."

On the men's side, the Raiders tackled an 8K -- a steppingstone as several freshmen transition from high school distances to college events. Holcombe said the home setting offered a smooth entry to the longer grind of collegiate racing.

"We're very young," Holcombe explained. "For a lot of these guys, this was their first time racing at this level. Being able to do that on a familiar course was huge."

Friday's event also underscored cross country's role as a fundraiser for the growing program. Holcombe said hosting larger meets helps athletes attend camps and travel to major competitions later in the season.

"Meets like this give us resources to send kids to bigger races," he said. "That's how you build endurance athletes and an elite program."

Roane State will carry the momentum to Walters State next week, where a flatter course should produce faster times. Holcombe said Rivera's performance elevated the bar for the remainder of the season.

"She's got a national-level ceiling," he said. "Seeing her break the record here shows what's possible when everything lines up."

With improved facilities, an energized roster and a signature performance from Rivera, Holcombe said the meet marked another step in establishing Roane State Cross Country as a force in the region.

"This is just the beginning," he said. "Each year it's going to get bigger, and our athletes are going to keep getting better."