WILLIAMSON GUIDES CROSS COUNTRY AT BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

Saturday, November 2

Buena Vista, Va.

10:30 AM

Radford University

Big South Championship

Photo by: Big South Sports Photos

WILLIAMSON GUIDES CROSS COUNTRY AT BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

11/2/2013 6:25:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Cross Country

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MEN'S RESULTS | WOMEN'S RESULTS

BUENA VISTA, Va. – The Radford women's cross country team produced a top-five individual finish and two personal records while the men's team was led by a top-25 finish Saturday morning at the Big South Conference Championships raced at The Vista Links. The Highlanders finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

The golf course, in its first time hosting the meet, featured the twelve teams of the Big South battling it out for conference champion honors.

"I'm happy with what we did as a program today," cross country coach Mackenzie Wartenberger said. "We still have a lot of work to do, but the Highlander cross country teams came together and produced some very nice efforts on a very challenging course."

Finishing fourth in the women's race and setting a personal 5K record was Teresa Williamson. The junior continued her stellar season by running the course in 18:08.90, beating her previous record of 18:15.69 easily. This race also marks her third top-10 finish of the season.

In addition to earning all-academic honors, she earns all-conference accolades for her effort on the course. Williamson becomes Radford's first all-conference performer on the women's side since Lori Crotts in 2009.

Another Radford runner setting a personal record was Katie Hickey. The senior annihilated her previous best of 20:40 by running a blazing 19:37.79 to garner a 25^th-place finish. Courtney Rice placed 47^th in a time of 20:21.97, and Malina Richardson ran a 20:30.21 to place 50^th. Madeline Thomas rounded out the scoring for the Highlanders with a 52^nd-place finish in 20:36.13.

The seventh-place team finish marks the best showing for the Radford women since the Highlanders placed fifth in 2008.

"The women's team stole the show, with Teresa running a gutsy race to place fourth overall," Wartenberger said. "I was also extremely happy for Katie establishing a PR on this hilly course."

Coastal Carolina took the team title with 56 points, and produced the winner and runner-up of the race in Letitia Saayman and Kyla Van Graan.

Coastal Carolina: 56
Liberty: 76
UNC-Asheville: 78
High Point:83
Campbell: 111
Winthrop: 153
Radford: 178
VMI: 208
Charleston Southern: 259
Gardner-Webb: 302
Longwood: 311
Presbyterian: 349

On the men's side, Radford placed eighth as a team, led by Ryan Farnan's 25^th-place finish. The junior completed the course in 27:34.81. The next finisher for the Highlanders was Daniel Moniak in 37^th, running in a time of 28:09.71.

Right behind him was Chris Weeks (all-academic selection), who finished the course in 28:14.06 in 41^st place. Chaz Porter, in his first conference meet, finished 46^th with a time of 28:26.53, and Alan Weaver ran a 28:31.97 to finish 47^th and round out Radford's scoring.

"Our men's squad had a tough day losing the seventh spot to Longwood by only one point," Wartenberger pointed out. "However, we had several runners improving by over 20 spots compared to last year's conference race. Those guys are tough and I know they are looking forward to the opportunity to compete at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Charlottesville in two weeks."

Patrick Crawford and Jeff Lacoste of High Point took first and second in the race, respectively. However, Liberty was able to edge the Panthers in the team standings with its total of 40 points.

Liberty: 40
High Point: 48
Campbell:87
VMI: 99
Coastal: 104
UNCA: 189
Longwood: 195
Radford: 196
Winthrop: 237
Gardner-Webb: 329
Charleston Southern: 351
Presbyterian: 368