Despite the chilly weather and a hill known as "the big nasty," course records fell Saturday at the Big South Conference Championship Meet in Lexington, Va. The meet, hosted at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), was a spectacular feat of endurance and strength.
At 10 a.m. the women started their 5,000-meter event, the favorite being Coastal Carolina's Anne Marie Moutsinga. She did not disappoint anyone. Finishing in a time of 17:45, a new course record, she ran away from the competition, almost 20-seconds ahead of the next finisher, Sarah Roberts from Liberty. Coastal, for the fifth consecutive year, won the team championship with 27 points, followed by Liberty with 47.
The men started their race at 10:45 a.m. Getting out to an early lead was Liberty's Josh McDougal, last year's conference champion. He won again, well over a full minute ahead of the competition, and set a new 8,000-meter course record of 24:00. Liberty also won the team title with 26 points. VMI placed second with 73 points.
Tamas Kovacs, who placed second over all and Saskia Janssen, who placed third, were named outstanding freshmen of the year. The top 10 finishers in each race were named all-conference.
At 10 a.m. the women started their 5,000-meter event, the favorite being Coastal Carolina's Anne Marie Moutsinga. She did not disappoint anyone. Finishing in a time of 17:45, a new course record, she ran away from the competition, almost 20-seconds ahead of the next finisher, Sarah Roberts from Liberty. Coastal, for the fifth consecutive year, won the team championship with 27 points, followed by Liberty with 47.
The men started their race at 10:45 a.m. Getting out to an early lead was Liberty's Josh McDougal, last year's conference champion. He won again, well over a full minute ahead of the competition, and set a new 8,000-meter course record of 24:00. Liberty also won the team title with 26 points. VMI placed second with 73 points.
Tamas Kovacs, who placed second over all and Saskia Janssen, who placed third, were named outstanding freshmen of the year. The top 10 finishers in each race were named all-conference.