BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. - Paced by junior Sydney Hazel, the Anderson women's cross country team finished fourth at the 2013 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championships, hosted by Mars Hill University at the Montreat College course in Black Mountain, N.C. Saturday morning.
"We ran a good race and ran well," said Anderson head coach Randy Greer. "Now we just need to regroup and get ready for the regionals."
With temperatures hovering in the mid-20s for the 5K race, Wingate, the top-ranked program in the USTFCCCA Southeast Region poll, won the team title for the first time since 2007 by having the top four finishers. Reigning SAC Runner of the Year Keeley Wood of Wingate, defended her individual title with a time of 18:47.3, which was nearly 16 seconds ahead of teammate Brittany Tretbar.
Defending champion Lenoir-Rhyne, which won its third title since 2008 a year ago, finished in fifth.
The Trojans, who finished third a year ago, saw Hazel (20:03.6) garner Second-Team All-SAC honors for the second consecutive season with her 11th-place finish. Freshman Bari Robinson narrowly missed all-conference and all-freshman accolades with her 15th-place finish in a time of 20:16.0. Freshman Olivia Gardner (20:21.3) crossed the line in 17th, while senior Hannah Robles claimed 33rd in a time of 21:13.0.
A pair of freshman newcomers, Grace Gerlock (21:34.0) and Amber Worthy (21:41.4) finished 41st and 45th, respectively. Freshman Mia Swierzs placed 58th with a time of 22:22.2, while sophomore Devan Fisher (22:41.8) earned 65th. Redshirt junior Madison Guest was just behind in 66th in as time of 22:46.1.
The NCAA Southeast Regionals will be held in Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday, Nov. 9.
1 Wingate
2 Queens
3 Mars Hill
4 Anderson
5 Lenoir-Rhyne
6 Brevard
7 Lincoln Memorial
8 Catawba
9 Tusculum
10 Carson-Newman
First-Team All-SAC
Keeley Wood, Wingate
Brittany Tretbar, Wingate
Morgan Neher, Wingate
Alyssa Johnson, Wingate
Jessica Viscusi, Mars Hill
Katharina Seelos, Queens
Andrea Guerra, Queens
Second-Team All-SAC
Faith Trammell, Mars Hill
Brianna Stevens, Wingate
Grace Turner, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sydney Hazel, Anderson
Mathilde Timboni, Queens
Taylor Varnadoe, Wingate
Oh So Young, Queens
All-Freshman Team
Brittany Tretbar, Wingate
Morgan Neher, Wingate
Alyssa Johnson, Wingate
Katharina Seelos, Queens
Oh So Young, Queens
Runner of the Year: Keeley Wood, Wingate
Freshman of the Year: Brittany Tretbar,
Wingate
Coach of the Year: Joe Soehnlen, Wingate
