The University of the Cumberlands (UC) Cross Country teams traveled to Portsmouth, Ohio this weekend to compete in the 2014 Mid-South Conference Championships. The men's team was the first to compete in the 8K followed by the women in the 5K. The Patriots, both men and women’s teams, took home runner-up finishes while three advanced on to the NAIA Nationals as individual qualifiers.
BY THE NUMBERS
Men's 8K
· Samuel Beal (Beavercreek, OH) was the first of the Patriots to cross the finish line this weekend. Beal raced his way to a 7th place finish in the 74-man field running 26:40. Beal made First Team All-Conference and captured the third individual qualifier spot for a trip to nationals.
· Freshman Travis O'Dell (Taylorsville, KY) finished in 14th place, capturing Second Team All-Conference, racing his way to a time of 27:32.
· Right behind O’Dell finishing in 15th place was Jacob Nathanson (Greer, SC) who ran a time of 27:34.
· James MacPherson (Beavercreek, OH), another impressive freshman for UC, raced a time of 27:42 capturing 17thplace.
· Senior Donald Whyte (Miamisburg, OH) finished his last cross country race of his career in a time of 28:06 finishing 19th while freshman Ben Call (Manchester, OH) ran the same time of 28:06 finishing 20th.
· Aaron Harrison (Courtland, OH) ran faster than two weeks ago, going 29:11 finishing 35th.
· Finishing 44th with a time of 29:57 was Brent Logan (Corbin, KY) with teammate Eric Phillips (New Castle, KY) right behind him finishing 45th going 30:06.
· Clay Bowling (Manchester, KY) was 48th running the 8K event in 30:42.
· David Palmer (New Castle, KY) and Bradley-James Faulkner (Williamsburg, KY) placed 52nd and 53rd running 31:34 and 31:39, respectively.
· Senior Devin Edwards (Corbin, KY) running his last race of his cross country career ran 33:39 finishing 62nd.
· The men took runner-up honors behind the Bears of Shawnee State, with a team score of 66 of 8 teams.
Women's 5K
· Senior Danielle Hoop (Owenton, KY) was crowned the 2014 Mid-South Conference Champion, winning the race in a time of 18:09. She earned MSC Runner of the Year honors, defeating last year’s defending champion Sarah Biehl of Shawnee State by 29 seconds. This is Hoop’s only win of her entire collegiate cross country career of the 87-woman race. Hoop was First Team All-Conference and captured the first individual qualifier spot for Nationals.
· Margaret McGaha (Beavercreek, OH) was the next Patriot to cross the line. McGaha finished in 9th place with one of her faster times of 19:30. McGaha captured the last individual qualifier spot earning a trip to Lawrence, Kansas and Second Team All-Conference honors.
· Maureen McGaha (Beavercreek, OH) was right behind McGaha finishing 10th with a time of 19:32, also earning Second Team All-Conference honors.
· A third Patriot earning Second Team All-Conference honors was Sydney Freeman (Corbin, KY), who finished in 12th place with a time of 19:53.
· Finishing in 20th place was Madison Peace (Walton, KY), racing her way to a time of 20:19.
· Freshman Danielle Beranek (Beavercreek, OH) crossed the finish line in 23rd place running a time of 20:34.
· Finishing out the Patriots top seven runners was Annmarie Lake (Mason, OH). Lake posted a time of 21:10, which was good enough for a 31st place finish.
· Next up was senior Shelby Gibbons (Hamersville, OH). Gibbons completed her last collegiate cross country race with a time of 21:36 finishing 36th.
· Julia MacPherson (Beavercreek, OH) was the next Patriot to finish running one of her faster times of the season going 21:41 placing 38th.
· Finishing in 42nd place was Bonnie Nutt (Phillips, WI). Nutt finished the 5K race in a time of 22:02.
· Freshman Bridgette Smallwood (Rockholds, KY) completed the competition in 22:22, where she placed 47thoverall.
· Senior Patriot Brittany Bloyd (Louisville, KY) was the final Patriot finisher of the afternoon. Bloyd ran her final race in a time of 22:39, finishing 52nd.
· The Patriot ladies finished 2nd of 9 teams with a team score of 51 points. The Patriots took runner-up honors behind the Bears of Shawnee State.
UP NEXT
Patriot trio Samuel Beal, Margaret McGaha, and Danielle Hoop will be traveling to the NAIA Cross Country National Championships in two weeks on November 22nd. The Championships will be held in Lawrence, Kansas.