Lenoir-Rhyne Wins SAC Women's Cross Country Championship
After finishing second in each of the past two years, Lenoir-Rhyne won the 2012 Food Lion SAC Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday, marking the program's first conference title since 2009.
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – After finishing second in each of the past two years, Lenoir-Rhyne won the 2012 Food Lion SAC Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday, marking the program's first conference title since 2009.
The Bears finished five points ahead of runner-up Wingate in the team standings. Three L-R runners placed in the top 11 of the individual standings, including All-Conference First Team performers Marie Mauhar and Liz Chaffee.
Wingate's second-place finish was paced by individual champion Keeley Wood, who crossed the finish line in a time of 19.27.30 – nearly 30 seconds faster than runner-up Kristen Trammel of Mars Hill.
Wood was also an All-SAC First Team performer at the 2011 championship.
2011 SAC champion Anderson finished third in the team standings, followed by No. 4 Mars Hill, No. 5 Lincoln Memorial and No. 6 Brevard.
Two BC runners finished with first team All-Conference times in Hannah Cook, who placed third, and Angela Canale, who was sixth. Cook's performance was the best of any freshman in the race, earning her SAC Freshman of the Year honors.
Rounding out the team standings were No. 7 Carson-Newman, No. 8 Catawba, No. 9 Tusculum and No. 10 Newberry.
Newberry's Jessie Baldwin finished seventh in the individual standings, earning the final spot on the All-Conference First Team.
Following his team's championship, Lenoir-Rhyne's Jason Stewart was picked as the SAC Coach of the Year. It was Stewart's fourth-career selection as SAC Coach of the Year.
2012 Food Lion SAC Cross Country Championship Team Standings
Team (Score)
1. Lenoir-Rhyne (63)
2. Wingate (73)
3. Anderson (80)
4. Mars Hill (98)
5. Lincoln Memorial (100)
6. Brevard (168)
7. Carson-Newman (178)
8. Catawba (208)
9. Tusculum (219)
10. Newberry (242)
2012 All-SAC Team
First Team
Keeley Wood, Wingate
Kristen Trammel, Mars Hill
Marie Mauhar, Lenoir-Rhyne
Liz Chaffee, Lenoir-Rhyne
Angela Canale, Brevard
Jessie Baldwin, Newberry
Second Team
Emily Eckroth, Anderson
Amber Stoerp, Lincoln Memorial
Sydney Hazel, Anderson
Laura Rhyne, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sam Haering, Wingate
Melanie Wollenberg, Wingate
Amanda Mahaffey, Anderson
All-Freshman Team
Hannah Cook, Brevard
Sam Haering, Wingate
Tia Belter, Lincoln Memorial
Savannah Hulbert, Mars Hill
Maggie Bernabei, Tusculum
SAC Runner of the Year: Keeley Wood, Wingate
SAC Freshman of the Year: Hannah Cook, Brevard
SAC Coach of the Year: Jason Stewart, Lenoir-Rhyne