WINGATE, N.C. --- The Tusculum men's and women's cross country teams competed at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on the campus of Wingate University Saturday morning.
The Tusculum men finished 17th overall in a field of 23 teams with 467 points, while the Pioneer women did not receive a team score after injury and illness left the team with three runners in the event.
MEN'S RECAP
Freshman Jackson Beason was the top finisher for the Pioneers, covering the 10-kilometer course in 34:34.88 for a 56th place finish. Fellow freshman Will Cronin was 89th with a time of 35:41.27, followed by freshman Zac Branham in 92nd place in 35:47.91.
Sophomore Mason Snelson took 100th place in a time of 36:06.95, with junior Will Noel in 139th place in 39:58.40. Freshman Alex Haffcke was the final runner for the Pioneers, crossing the line in 148th place with a time of 42:14.42.
Silus Kipkoech of UNC Pembroke won the individual championship by less than a second over Nick Kipkemei of Queens, with a winning time of 31:23.55. Adam Craig of Mount Olive, Luke Greer of Carson-Newman and Mason Hazel of Anderson rounded out the top five, all within 20 seconds of the leader.
Mount Olive won the team title with 50 points, with five runners in the top 15. Queens had five runners in the top 20 and finished second with 55 points, followed by Augusta (77 points), Anderson (153) and Mars Hill (178).
WOMEN'S RECAP
Sophomore Alissa Furches was the top runner for the Pioneers, taking 46th place with a time of 24:28.33 over the 6-kilometer course. Freshman Addison Aguilar finished 89th in 25:47.50, and sophomore Brooklyn Smith placed 119th in 27:03.95.
Leah Hanle of Mount Olive covered the course in 21:15.43 to win the individual championship, 14 seconds ahead of runner-up Hannah Wolkenhauer of Queens. Darroneshia Lott of Coker finished 90 seconds behind Wolkenhauer and took third place, with Katherine Yost of Georgia College and Lucie Noall of Queens rounding out the top five.
On the strength of two top-five finishers, Queens won the team championship with 76 points, followed by Anderson (94 points) and Mount Olive (112) in the top three. North Georgia (116 points) and Wingate (131) comprised the rest of the top five.
NCAA Division II Southeast Regional
at Wingate, N.C.
MEN'S RESULTS
Team
1. Mount Olive, 50
2. Queens, 55
3. Augusta, 77
4. Anderson, 153
5. Mars Hill, 178
17. TUSCULUM, 467
Tusculum individual finishers
56. Jackson Beason, 34:34.88
89. Will Cronin, 35:41.27
92. Zac Branham, 35:47.91
100. Mason Snelson, 36:06.95
139. Will Noel, 39:58.40
148. Alex Haffcke, 42:14.42
WOMEN'S RESULTS
Team
1. Queens, 76
2. Anderson, 94
3. Mount Olive, 112
4. North Georgia, 116
5. Wingate, 131
Tusculum, DNF
Tusculum individual finishers
46. Alissa Furches, 24:28.33
89. Addison Aguilar, 25:47.50
119. Brooklyn Smith, 27:03.95
