NEWTON, N.C. --- Tusculum College junior Simon Holzapfel posted a school-record time of 25:53.96 to win the 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championship, Saturday morning at Southside Park.

Holzapfel wins his fifth straight race in as many events this season and becomes the first TC men's cross country harrier to garner SAC Runner of the Year accolades. He also becomes the first Pioneer to break the 26:00-barrier in an 8,000-meter meet, while breaking the previous school record time of 26:17.33 he established last Saturday at the Trailblazer Invitational in Gray, Tenn.

The Tusculum men and women both posted ninth place finishes in the team competition. Mars Hill College won its 13th consecutive SAC men's title, while the Lenoir-Rhyne University women's squad repeats as league champions.

In the men's meet, Mars Hill won with 27 points, while host Lenoir-Rhyne finished second with 66 points. Wingate University tallied a third-place showing with 75 points, followed by Catawba College (129), Carson-Newman College (156), Brevard College (165), Newberry College (165), Lincoln Memorial University (181) and Tusculum (194).

Tusculum's David Parham finished 38th with a time of 30:14.39, while Ben Hale posted a 48th place showing with his time of 31:44.31. Elvis Machado finished his meet in 35:25.98 for 62nd place, followed by Tyler Buckner (38:14.13 - 65th), Tyler Rogers (40:30.86 - 67th) and Jason Seaton (41:14.44 - 68th).

In the women's championship, Lenoir-Rhyne won the team title with 37 points, 10 ahead of runner-up Carson-Newman (47). Wingate finished third with 85 points, followed by Lincoln Memorial (94), Catawba (117), Mars Hill (192), Brevard (203), Newberry (219) and Tusculum (236).

In the women's meet, Tusculum graduate student Robin Smith led Pioneers with her 30th place showing with a time of 23:17.55 on the 5K layout. Jessica Figler recorded a time of 25:13.70 to finish 49th, while Kelsey Longwell placed 56th with a time of 26:20.94. Estefania Chavez finished 59th (27:21.53), followed by Josie Honaker (27:42.74 - 60th), Katie Shelton (31:05.17) and Storm Vance (37:20.02).

- SAC -

Men's Team Results
Pl Team Pts
1 Mars Hill 27
2 Lenoir-Rhyne 66
3 Wingate 75
4 Catawba 129
5 Carson-Newman 156
6 Brevard 165
Newberry 165
8 Lincoln Memorial 181
9 TUSCULUM 194

Tusculum Individual Results
Pl Runner Time
1 Simon Holzapfel 25:53.96
38 David Parham 30:14.39
48 Ben Hale 31:44.31
62 Elvis Machado 35:25.98
65 Tyler Buckner 38:14.13
67 Tyler Rogers 40:30.86
68 Jason Seaton 41:14.44

Women's Team Results
Pl Team Pts
1 Lenoir-Rhyne 37
2 Carson-Newman 47
3 Wingate 85
4 Lincoln Memorial 94
5 Catawba 117
6 Mars Hill 192
7 Brevard 203
8 Newberry 219
9 TUSCULUM 236

Tusculum Individual Results
Pl Runner Time
30 Robin Smith 23:17.55
49 Jessica Figler 25:13.70
56 Kelsey Longwell 26:20.94
59 Estefania Chavez 27:21.53
60 Josie Honaker 27:42.74
62 Katie Shelton 31:05.17
65 Storm Vance 37:20.02