Spiders’ Bruns and Kurtz Capture National Titles at Collegiate Trail Running Championships
05/18/2025 | Cross Country
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — The University of Richmond cross country and track and field programs added two national titles to their storied history Sunday, as sophomore Carter Bruns and senior Laurel Kurtz delivered gold-medal performances at the 2025 Collegiate Trail Running National Championships. The event, hosted by the Collegiate Running Association and EX2 Adventures, took place in a 6.9-mile course at Fountainhead Regional Park in Northern Virginia.
In his first-ever trail race, Bruns turned in a performance, winning the men's national title with a time of 45:53. After trailing early, he unleashed a powerful surge in the final mile to overtake Adams State's Zach Prescott and win by 27 seconds. His time now ranks third-fastest all time on the challenging Fountainhead course, placing him among the event's elite.
"Carter's poise and closing speed today were incredible," Head Coach Steve Taylor said. "To step onto a technical trail course for the first time and compete with such confidence shows his versatility and competitive fire."
Bruns was joined on the podium by teammate Taylor Healy, who secured third place in 47:43, further cementing Richmond's dominance in the men's field. Fellow Spider Zach Stevens rounded out the top five with a strong finish.
Just hours after racing the ECAC Outdoor Track and Field 10K the previous night at George Mason University, Kurtz returned to competition Sunday morning and added national trail running champion to her résumé. Battling exhaustion and a talented field, Kurtz found another gear late in the race to pull away from teammate Paige Joyce, winning in 58:04.
"Laurel's toughness and leadership were on full display today," coach Lori Taylor said. "To compete at such a high level less than 12 hours after running a championship 10K on the track — it's just incredible."
Joyce finished second in 58:24 in a thrilling 1-2 finish for the Spiders. The performance capped a remarkable weekend for the women's distance squad, emphasizing the depth within the program.
With their top-five finishes, Bruns, Kurtz, Healy, Joyce and Stevens all earned CRA All-America honors, highlighting Richmond as the most decorated program at this year's championship. In addition to their medals, Bruns and Kurtz also took home prize money and Jambar, the official nutrition bar of the Collegiate Running Association.
Now in its 12th year, the CRA Trail Running Championship continues to provide national-level opportunities for college athletes in disciplines outside the NCAA umbrella, including trail, mountain and road racing.
Players Mentioned
