SPARTANBURG, S.C. - For the first time since at least 2008, the Carson-Newman women's cross country team earned a top-10 finish at the NCAA DII Southeast Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 6.
The Eagles finished seventh in the women's 6K run with a school record time of 1:57:53 and scoring 254 points. The team time beats the previous mark of 1:58:37 set at the 2018 SAC Cross Country Championships.
Rachel Strayer led the way for the Eagles with an 18th place finish with a time of 22:23.0. With the finish, Strayer earns USTFCCCA All-Region honors for the second year in a row. The USTFCCCA awards All-Region honors to competitors who finish in the top-24 at their regional championship.
The rest of the top five finishers all set new personal bests in the 6K run. Katie Smock surpassed her former personal best in the event by almost 30 seconds, finishing 41st with a time of 23:16.2. Madison Dockery finished just three spots behind her at 44th with a time of 23:19.9, a new personal best for the sophomore by a whole minute.
Imke Van Gog finished 51st with a time of 23:24.9, beating her personal best by almost 50 seconds. Lauren Tabor rounded out the scoring for the Eagles, finishing 104th with a time of 25:28.03, resetting her personal best by almost 37 seconds.
The @CN_Track women's team secures their highest finish in the NCAA Southeast Regional since 2008 with a 7th place finish.@rachelmstrayer leads the way with an 18th place finish.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) November 6, 2021
Four of the top five racers finished with new personal bests pic.twitter.com/IB55kEuXD4
Olivia Fanning wrapped up her collegiate cross country career with a new personal best in the 6K for the second meet in a row, finishing with a time of 26:17.9. Rachel Shaver finished her final collegiate 6K race with a time of 26:44.7.
Carson-Newman was one of six SAC schools to finish in the top-10. Queens won the women's team title with a time of 1:46:01. Lara Orrock of Wingate won the individual championship with a time of 20:21.0.
On the men's side, the Eagles earned their fifth straight top-20 finish in the Southeast Regional. Raymond Brugmans led the Eagles in his first collegiate 10K with an 83rd place finish with a time of 34:37.6.
Will Kolb finished behind his teammate at 101st in his first ever collegiate 10K with a time of 35:13.7. Kirby Logan III finished 103rd in the event with a time of 35:15.2.
Trent Lovelace finished 136th in his first ever collegiate 10k race with a time of 37:03.5. Hunter Miller rounded out the scoring for the Eagles with a 137th place finish and a time of 37:06.4.
The @CN_Track men earn their fifth straight top-20 finish at regionals.
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) November 6, 2021
Three personal bests for the men in the 10K. pic.twitter.com/0nCJVhpjH0
Wingate won the men's title with a time of 2:35:21. Jan Lukas Becker of Queens won the individual championship with a time of 30:18.5.
Strayer will await her fate to see if she qualifies as an at-large bid to the NCAA National Championships on Nov. 20 in St. Leo, Fla. The NCAA will announce their selections on Monday, Nov. 8 at 5:00 PM. Fans can stay up to date at ncaa.com and with the Carson-Newman cross country team at cneagles.com.
