Lynn University junior Jessica Lombardo earned her second Sunshine State Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week honor of the 2026 season Wednesday after winning the women’s 6K at the 27th FLRunners.com Invitational.
Lombardo won at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Florida, with a time of 22:45.98. She finished more than 11 seconds ahead of runner-up Chloe Goessl of State College of Florida. The victory was Lombardo’s first individual title of the season.
Lombardo leads Lynn at FLRunners.com Invitational
Lombardo’s first-place finish earned the Lynn Fighting Knights one team point and helped Lynn University finish third overall with 55 points. The Fighting Knights finished two points behind second-place Saint Leo.
The result continued Lombardo’s strong start to the fall season. She has paced the Lynn Fighting Knights in each of their first four meets and has finished among the top four overall in three of those appearances.
Lombardo also lowered her 6K time for the third consecutive reported race. She ran 23:29.73 at the STU Bobcat Invitational, improved to 22:48.4 at the FSU Pre-Regional and then posted 22:45.98 at the FLRunners.com Invitational.
Second conference honor in 2026
Lombardo previously earned the Sunshine State Conference award after finishing second overall and first among collegiate runners in 23:29.73 at the STU Bobcat Invitational. Her performance helped Lynn University finish runner-up as a team at that meet.
The latest honor recognizes Lombardo’s individual title at Holloway Park and her role in Lynn’s third-place team finish. It also adds to a season in which she has consistently led the Fighting Knights through the team’s first four meets.
FSB Take
Lombardo’s second conference award of the 2026 season follows her first individual title and her fastest reported 6K time. Her results have helped Lynn University post a runner-up finish at the STU Bobcat Invitational and a third-place finish at the FLRunners.com Invitational.
Source: Original report