Commodores finish 5th, 13th at SEC Championships

Nov. 1, 2013

Women’s Results Get Acrobat Reader | Men’s Results Get Acrobat Reader

Gainesville, Fla. – Vanderbilt’s women’s cross country team finished fifth overall at the SEC Championship with the men’s team placing 13th.

Senior Liz Anderson went to the front early in the women’s race and ran with the leaders the whole way finshing fifth overall and earning first team All-SEC honors. Anderson crossed the line in 20:29.04, her fastest 6K time of the year. The lead pack slowly broke away from the main field with an elite group of six finishing fast to sew up six of the seven spots on the All-SEC first team.

“Liz ran exceptionally well today,” assistant coach Rhonda Riley said. “From the start of the race, she put herself in a position to make the all conference team. She ran with heart and confidence and that lead to her 5th place finish.”

Junior Rebecca Chandler was the next Commodore across the line in 20th place overall with a time of 21:11.70. Fellow junior Amira Joseph turned in her best effort of the season with a time of 21:29.oo for 29th overall. Claire Benjamin (21:53.76) and Lily Williams (22:12.56) were the next Vandy runners across the line to round out the scoring for the Dores. Freshman Reagan Anderson, running in her first collegiate 6K, finished on the heels of Williams with a time of 22:12.92. Kat Delaney was next in a time of 22:42.37 with Hannah Jumper finishing in 23:03.16.

Arkansas claimed the team title with the top three individual finishers in the race. The Razorbacks scored 32 points as a team led by individual champ Dominque Scott, who covered the course in 20:02.81.

In the men’s race, junior John Ewing led the way with a personal-best of 25:38.13 in the 8K race to finish 57th overall. Freshman Jake Van Geffen also posted a personal-best with a time of 26:12.23 for 83rd overall. Matthew Cleveland ran a season-best 26:23.47 to be the Commodores’ third finisher and 89th overall. Nick French was the next Dore across the line with a time of 26:42.08 to clock an 8K personal-best and finish 96th overall. Andrew Bachman (27:11.88) and David McAdams (27:18.81) finished in a flury to round out the Commodores’ scoring five. Sam Reilly was not far behind finishing in a time of 27:30.95 and Andrew Fix crossed the line in 28:41.62.

Arkansas took the team title with 31 points, including the top three finishers. Arkansas’ Kemoy Campbell won the individual race in a time of 22:58.73 to break the SEC record previously set by Arkansas’ Josphat Boit in 2004 with a time of 23:09.91.

Both Vanderbilt teams return to racing at the NCAA South Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on November 15.

Women’s 6K Race

1. Arkansas – 32 points
2. Texas A&M – 123 points
3. Kentucky – 134 points
4. Florida – 150 points
5. Vanderbilt – 161 points
6. Alabama – 174 points
7. Missouri – 178 points
8. Tennessee – 179 points
9. Ole Miss – 190 points
10. Mississippi State – 191 points
11. Georgia – 224 points
12. South Carolina – 294 points
13. Auburn – 309 points
14. LSU – 460 points

Men’s 8K Race

1. Arkansas – 31 Points
2. Florida – 96 points
3. Georgia – 101 points
4. Missouri – 107 points
5. Kentucky – 173 points
6. Auburn – 175 points
7. Tennessee – 187 points
8. Texas A&M – 187 points
9. Mississippi State – 229 points
10. Ole Miss – 242 points
11. Alabama – 251 points
12. LSU – 356 points
13. Vanderbilt – 369 points