CASSIE Lagan returned to racing at the weekend with a second place finish at the Susan Rouse Invitational in North Carolina.
The Finn Valley AC woman, who is on a scholarship at Augusta University, Georgia, is just back from an injury lay-off.
Lagan was second in the women’s 5,000m run, finishing in 18:43.51.
Her college colleague Mackenzie Taylor was the winner in 17:37.71 while Deanna Betzer of Lees-McRae College was third in 19:17.32.
Lagan was troubled by a femoral stress fracture that kept her out for eight months and will now hope to build over the coming weeks.
Lagan joined a long list of Finn Valley AC athletes who have gone down the American scholarship route over the years, following in the steps of the likes of Camilla Harron, Dempsey McGuigan, Shannon McLaughlin, Pauric McLaughlin, Arlene Crossan, Sarah Collins, Grainne O’Dea and Oisin Gallen.