NEWTON, N.C. – The Carson-Newman women’s cross
country team finished second at the 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic
Conference Cross Country Championship on Saturday morning at
Southside Park.
The Lady Eagles finished the day with 47 points and had five
runners garner All-SAC honors.
“Today was all about having our best performances and we
accomplished everything we set out to do, short of the women
winning,” C-N head coach Whitney Lee said. “I’m
so proud of how we represented Carson-Newman College
today.”
Lady Eagle freshman Meredith Nix (Walhalla, S.C.) led the way by
finishing third with a time of 20:22.15. Nix’s finish earned
her SAC Freshman of the Year honors.
“Meredith ran a great race,” Lee said. “She made
some key moves in the race to get up to that 3rd
position.”
Freshman Brooke Earhart (Dickson, Tenn.) placed seventh with a
time of 20:55.66 to earn first team All-SAC honors. Melissa Ford
(Richmond, Va.) crossed the finish line in 11th place with a time
of 21:11.49 and Catelyn Dake (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished 12th with
a time of 21:17.43 to earn second team All-SAC honors. Cara Hawkins
(Murfreesboro, Tenn.) also garnered second team honors by claiming
14th with a time of 21:36.94.
Lenoir-Rhyne won the women’s meet behind a first-place
finish from sophomore Kate Griewisch with a time of 18:27, which
was one minute and 48 seconds better than second-place finisher
Sofia Lopez Mimendi from Lincoln Memorial University.
Joining Griewisch and Mimendi on the All-SAC first team Catawba
College’s Maleah Cole and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Tiffany Payne
and Alyssa Lowe.
The All-SAC second team included Wingate University’s
Brittany Vish and Alicia Harbold, Lenoir-Rhyne’s Liz Chaffee
and Lincoln Memorial’s Fiona Reinecke.
Joining Nix on the 2009 South Atlantic Conference All-Freshman
Team were Earhart, Chaffee, Lincoln Memorial’s Ashley Robbins
and Wingate’s Melanie Wollenberg.
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Jason Stewart was named South Atlantic
Conference Coach Of The Year for the second year in a row while
Griewisch was the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Women’s
Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Of The Year.
In the men’s event, the Eagles claimed fifth place behind an
18th place finish by Jonathan Madden (Franklin, Tenn.), who
completed the course in a time of 28:14.85.
“We did it on the efforts of four season-best
performances,” Lee said. “I couldn’t be more
excited for the way our men have progressed this year and for what
they did today. I’m especially thrilled to see continued
improvement in our SAC result year by year.”
Kody Pierson (Middleton, Ohio) grabbed 28th with a time of
28:59.88, while Kent Pierson (Middleton, Ohio) (29:46.21) and Wyatt
Miles (Long Island, Va.) (29:48.78) finished 35th and 36th,
respectively. Justin Browning (Madisonville, Tenn.) grabbed 49th
with a time of 31:47.14.
“Kody, Kent, Wyatt and Justin all had season-best
performances,” Lee said. “It was truly gratifying to
have the guys see all the training prove itself and to meet the
expectations of the pre-season SAC poll that predicted us
5th.”
Mars Hill won its 13th straight league championship. The Lions had
three of the top four runners overall and has now won every
conference championship dating back to 1997.
Tusculum College’s Simon Holzapfel claimed the individual
title after running the 8K course in 25:53.
Joining Holzapfel on the All-SAC first team were Mars Hill’s
Kit Powell, Justin Gragg, and Trey McCain, Lenoir-Rhyne
University’s Tyler Mooney, Catawba College’s Christian
Crifasi and Mars Hill’s Aaron Thomas.
The All-SAC second team consists of Wingate University’s
Tesfom Mehari, Lenoir-Rhyne’s Jakob Maidens, Wingate’s
Doug Coats, Mars Hill’s Eric Blackburn, Wingate’s David
Sanctis, Lenoir-Rhyne’s Ryan Patrick and Brevard
College’s Matt Crowe.
Crifasi was named the 2009 SAC Men’s Cross Country Freshman
Runner of the Year after a sixth-place finish. He was joined on the
All-Freshman team by Blackburn, Ryan, Crowe and
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Zack Queen.
Mike Owens of Mars Hill was named the 2009 SAC Men’s Cross
Country Coach Of The Year. He wins the award for the 14th
consecutive year. Holzapfel was selected the South Atlantic
Conference Men’s Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Of The Year
for 2009.