Nov. 11, 2016
Event: NCAA South Region Cross Country Championships
Date: Friday, Nov. 11
Site: Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.
Host: Florida State
Results: HERE
Championship Central: HERE
Records: HERE
The Vanderbilt women’s cross country team posted a third-place finish on Friday morning at the NCAA South Regionals in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Commodores needed to finish either first or second to lock up an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Vanderbilt has qualified for the national meet in each of the past five seasons.
Sophomore Sara Tsai posted an impressive sixth-place finish, but narrowly missed earning an automatic individual bid to the national championships. Tsai posted a time of 20:16.2.
The race’s top four finishers — among runners who are not members of the automatic-qualifying teams — clinch spots to the NCAA meet. Tsai, who has paced the Commodores in every race this season, was fifth among those runners. Tsai has a strong possibility to earn an at-large invite to the national meet when the field is announced tomorrow.
Maddie Criscione was the second Commodore to cross the finish line and placed 23rd overall with a time of 20:51. Criscione’s time earned her a spot on the all-region team. Carmen Carlos was next for the Commodores, placing 31st with a time of 21:06.2, followed by Reagan Anderson (21:12.9, 37th), Ginger Hutton (21:30.2, 51st), Mailin Struck (21:49.6, 69th) and Megan Huebner (21:52.7, 73rd).
Mississippi State (66 points) and Ole Miss (67 points) finished first and second, respectively, and will be the South Regional’s team qualifiers for the NCAA Nationals.
Head coach Steven Keith on the women’s team’s performance:
“Given how the year played out, with a bit of a lull in the middle of the season, I’m extremely proud of the women for their third place finish, and also proud of Sara for putting herself in the position to possibly secure an individual at-large bid to NCAA Nationals.”
Vanderbilt Results (Women)
6. Sara Tsai 20:16.2
23. Maddie Criscione 20:51.5
31. Carmen Carlos 21:06.2
37. Reagan Anderson 21:12.9
51. Ginger Hutton 21:30.2
69. Mailin Struck 21:49.6
73. Megan Huebner 21:52.7
VANDERBILT MEN
The Vanderbilt men’s cross country team placed 16th on Friday at the NCAA South Regional in Tallahassee, Fla. It was the Commodores’ best finish at the meet since 2010, when they came in 14th.
Jake Van Geffen led the way for the Commodores and was the 50th runner across the finish line with a time of 32:01. Nikos Gkotsis joined Van Geffen as a top-100 finisher, placing 78th with a time of 32:39.9.
Evan Suzman (33:11.4, 106th), Jason Vincze (33:16.1, 111th), and Caleb Casolaro (33:19.9, 114th) were the next three Vanderbilt runners to cross the finish line were all within 10 seconds of each other.
Sam DeFabrizio (33:40.2, 124th) and Harrison Thomas (34:31.1, 140th) rounded out the rest of the Commodore runners.
Ole Miss (46 points) and Middle Tennessee State (61 points) were the top-two team finishers and will advance to the NCAA Nationals meet.
Head coach Steven Keith on the men’s team’s race in the Regional:
“It was a really good race for Jake and an overall great finish for the guys. The team showed a lot of improvement as the season progressed.”
Vanderbilt Places and Times
50. Jake Van Geffen 32:01.0
78. Nikolaos Gkotsis 32:39.9
106. Evan Suzman 33:11.4
111. Jason Vincze 33:16.1
114. Caleb Casolaro 33:19.9
124. Sam DeFabrizio 33:40.2
140. Harrison Thomas 34:31.1
