River States Conference Press Release
RESULTS: Women's Team Women's Individual Men's Team Men's Individual
BECKLEY, W.Va. -- The University of Rio Grande won the men's and women's team championships at the 2016 River States Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday hosted by WVU Tech at The Summit Bechtel Reserve near Beckley, W.Va.
The Rio Grande men's and women's teams both advance to the NAIA Men's & Women's Cross Country National Championship Nov. 19 in Elshah, Ill. The RedStorm teams earned the RSC automatic qualifications as conference champions.
Click the links above for complete results from official meet timer TriStateRacer.com.
NAIA individual qualification was also at stake with the top four individuals not from the team champion also advancing to the national meet.
On the women's side, Asbury (Ky.) University senior Katy Falkenberg was the RSC individual champion for the second time in her career and was the first NAIA individual qualifier. She won the 5K race with a time of 19 minutes, 16 seconds.
Other individual national qualifiers in women's cross country were Katie Guarnaccia (Point Park), Anna Shields (Point Park) and Brittany Sloan (IU Kokomo).
In men's cross country, Rio Grande took the top three individual placements with senior Dallas Guy claiming the RSC individual title with a time of 26 minutes, 47 seconds in the 8K-race. He won the conference championship for the second time in his career and finished just in front of teammates Blake Freed and Kameron Carpenter.
The NAIA individual qualifiers in men's cross country were Douglas Negrete (WVU Tech), Salvador Campos (IU East), Caleb Woodard (Asbury) and Blake Brooks (IU East).
The top 14 finishers in each of the men's and women's races were declared the RSC Men's and Women's Cross Country All-Conference Teams. The first seven finishers were the RSC First Team and the next seven finishers the RSC Second Team.
The RSC Men's and Women's Cross Country Champions of Character Teams were also selected with one individual from each team chosen as the one who best exhibits the five core character values of the NAIA's Champions of Character program of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
For the complete lists of RSC Men's and Women's Cross Country All-Conference Teams and RSC Men's and Women's Champions of Character Teams, scroll down this page.
Note: Ohio Christian and Alice Lloyd undeclared from NAIA cross country meaning those schools were not eligible to advance to nationals as a team or individuals. But they competed within the RSC championship and were eligible for team and individual championship and honors, such as all-conference.
2016 RSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team
1. Katy Falkenberg (AU) Sr.
2. Ariel Arellano-Young (OCU) So.
3. Katie Guarnaccia (PPU) Jr.
4. Lucy Williams (RIO) So.
5. Anna Shields (PPU) So.
6. Brittany Sloan (IUK) So.
7. Ivy Aleshire (WVUT) Jr.
Second Team
8. Jenny Murtha (PPU) Fr.
9. McKenna Phipps (AU) So.
10. Maggie Dellinger (AU) So.
11. Rachel Ball (RIO) Jr.
12. Aubrey Dunfee (RIO) Jr.
13. Alyssa Turrentine (OCU) Fr.
14. Allison Lyon (AU) So.
2016 RSC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
First Team
1. Dallas Guy (RIO) Sr.
2. Blake Freed (RIO) Sr.
3. Kameron Carpenter (RIO) So.
4. Douglas Negrete (WVUT) Jr.
5. Kyle Sanborn (RIO) Sr.
6. Salvador Campos (IUE) Fr.
7. Dustin Moritz (RIO) Sr.
Second Team
8. Kyle Benecke (OCU) So.
9. Mike Morris (RIO) So.
10. Caleb Woodward (AU) Sr.
11. Blake Brooks (IUE) So.
12. Sam Starnes (AU) So.
13. Cole Dudley (IUE) So.
14. Canaan Jonathan Gardner (OCU) Fr.
2016 RSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM
Brittney Buttrey - Alice Lloyd
Rachel Terry - Asbury
Makenzie Jackson - Brescia
Janika Hutton - Carlow
Becca Deacon - Cincinnati Christian
Teresa Huelseman - IU East
Bre Robertson - IU Kokomo
Rachelle Felski - Midway
Ariel Arellano-Young - Ohio Christian
Saydi Lappe - Point Park
Kelsey Miller - Rio Grande
Sierra Seay - WVU Tech
2016 RSC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM
John Driskill - Alice Lloyd
Caleb Woodward - Asbury
Kyle Robinson - Brescia
Christopher Woodley - Carlow
Michael Hartman - Cincinnati Christian
Salvardor Campos - IU East
Tyler Lucas - IU Kokomo
Brock Shick - Ohio Christian
Bradley Calleja - Point Park
River Spicer - Rio Grande
Douglas Negrete - WVU Tech