MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Behind a national championship-qualifying performance from junior Haylee Love and an all-region outing by senior Olivia Gardner, the Anderson women's cross country team finished fourth at the NCAA Southeast Region Championships, Saturday morning.
The Trojans narrowly missed becoming the first cross country team in school history to qualify for the NCAA National Championships, as host Montevallo, the top-ranked team in the region claimed the team title. The Falcons, along with Queens and Wingate advanced to the NCAA National Championships in St. Leo, Fla., on Nov. 19.
AU, which was ranked fifth in the region in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Southeast Region Rankings improved three spots over their seventh-place finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional a year ago.
While covering the 6K distance in a time of 21:48.01 and finishing eighth, Love becomes the first Trojan to qualify for the national championships since former All-American Whitney Bishoff earned back-to-back appearances in 2008 and 2009 and again in the 2011 campaign.
Gardner, a three-time All-South Atlantic Conference honoree, earned All-Southeast Region honors two years ago on the same course, and finished 21st Saturday morning in a time of 22:26.25 to earn all-region accolades for the second time in her career. Sophomore Abigail Bozarth, an Honorable Mention All-SAC performer, crossed the line in 38th place in a time of 23:00.39, with classmate Maddie Buddenberg, another Honorable Mention All-SAC team member, claiming 46th place in a time of 23:18.74.
Freshman Breck Jones (23:58.37) finished in 68th place, with sophomore Martha Coleman (23:59.76) just behind in 69th place. Senior Grace Gerlock rounded out the Trojan contingent in 73rd place in a time of 24:05.52.
With Erskine failing to field a team, the Trojans earned yet another point in the battle for the coveted Beville Cup, and lead the competition 5.0-1.5 entering the winter seasons.
