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[October 20, 2007] HOOVER, Ala. – Harding’s women’s team celebrated its third consecutive title, while Alabama-Huntsville’s men captured their first-ever Gulf South Conference cross country championship Saturday at Veterans Park. The Southern Arkansas Lady Mulerider team rose one spot from last year, finishing fourth over the 5K The Lady Bisons nipped Alabama-Huntsville, 31-32, in the closest finish in GSC history to pick up their sixth title in the past eight years. The two teams were dominant, placing eight in the top ten All-GSC spots, with HU placing four in the top six. Harding’s Janee Jones won her second straight GSC Individual Medalist honor with a time of 18:08.20. Teammates Rysper Sirma, Kalina Szteyn, and Katy Grant, finished fourth through sixth, respectively. Caitlin Heider and Erin Zellers of Alabama-Huntsville were second and third, while teammates Natalie Hamilton and Gwen Kyser placed seventh and ninth, respectively. Sirma was named the GSC Freshman of the Year, ending with the best finish of any first-year runner in the conference. Kendall Mears, the leading SAU runner all season, earned Second Team All-GSC honors by placing 13th in a time of 19:59.89. Other Southern Arkansas runners were Heather Rochelle finishing 23rd (20:36.16), Bailey Dulaney was 33rd (21:08.72), and Samantha Sparks (21:17.70) and Jessica Gadlin (21:18.27) placed 37th and 38th, respectively, to round out the Lady Muleriders’ scoring. Other SAU competitors were Michaela Krcova and Sara Banman in the 98-woman field. West Florida (121) finished third in the women’s division. Following SAU at fifth was North Alabama (154), Arkansas Tech (161) placed sixth, Ouachita Baptist (164) placed seventh, West Georgia (190) was eighth, Montevallo (204) finished ninth, and Henderson State (308) was 10th. Rounding out the final five spots were Valdosta State (328), Delta State (348), Christian Brothers (365), Arkansas-Monticello (395), and West Alabama (397). In the men’s division, Alabama-Huntsville snapped Harding’s streak of seven consecutive championships with a top score of 40. Brandon York (26:26.86) placed second to pace the Chargers, with teammates Nathan Miles (4th), Mark Temple (7th), and Will Rodgers (8th) all placing in the top 10 for First Team All-GSC honors. Miles earned GSC Freshman of the Year honors. UAH’s other scoring came from Josh Moshier who placed 19th for Second Team honors. Harding (48), which placed second, had the Individual Medalist champion in James Cheruiyot with a time of 25:35.06. Leading SAU in their seventh-place finish was freshman Nathan Blim, placing 18th with a time of 27:52.17 to earn Second Team All-GSC laurels. Dusty Hardin (28:36.48) was 26th, Josh Mitchell (29:06.54) and Kevin Perez (29:08.89) were 35th and 36th, respectively, and Steve Martinez (29:27.52) placed 40th to round out the Muleriders’ scoring. Others running for Southern Arkansas were Michael Wooten and Colton Connelly in the 73-man field. West Florida (98) placed third in the men’s division, Christian Brothers (110) was fourth, and West Georgia (125) rounded out the top five. West Alabama (149) was sixth, and following SAU in the final three spots were Valdosta State (210), North Alabama (252), and Arkansas-Monticello (325). The NCAA Division II South Region Championships will be held in Joplin, Mo, at Missouri Southern State on Saturday, November 3. #SAU# |
