EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Competing in her final home event, SIUE cross country standout Claire Brown ran to victory at the 2013 John Flamer Invite.

Brown won the 6,000-meter race in 22 minutes, 44.31 seconds, the sixth fastest time in SIUE history. The Cougar senior completed her final home event Saturday just the way she wanted.

"This is the first time I have won in college in a cross country meet," said Brown. "So it was exciting to do it on my home course on the last time I will run here as an SIUE Cougar."

SIUE Head Coach Eileen McAllister echoed Brown's excitement.

"She looked really strong, and it was good to see her have that breakthrough," McAllister said.

Brown let others set the pace early but started to make her move at the halfway mark. She said she believed she could win the race at the two-mile mark but just wanted to win on her home course. Brown defeated Wayne State's Kyla Gagnon by eight seconds.

SIUE's Conradette King was the Cougars' next best finisher with eighth place overall. She ran the course in 23:47.44.

McAllister said the Cougars ran well. SIUE won the head-to-head dual with Bradley 27-28, edging its competitors by 10 seconds per runner.

Other SIUE finishers were Renee Goodenough (24:33.95), Emily Conlon (24:57.48), Kirby Hale (25:07.34), Haley Briggs (26:18.88), and Erin Kennedy (26:37.99).

SIUE will be idle next weekend and next heads to Peoria, Ill., for the Bradley "Pink" Classic Oct. 18.