Coastal Carolina Invitational
Coastal Carolina's Nelson Oliveira captured the individual men's title at the Coastal Carolina Invitational Saturday. Coastal Carolina captured the team title over Furman.
Justin Foxworth (Georgetown HS) placed fourth overall for Coastal Carolina in 26:27. Jake Morris, a 2004 graduate of Aiken HS placed seventh overall in 27:35.09. Former Byrnes high runner Johnny Mitchell placed 10th overall, covering the 8k distance in 27:57.60 for Coastal Carolina.
Coastal Carolina women were led by Saskia Janssen with a first place finishing time of 18:03.98, leading Coastal Carolina to the team title. Page Bridges, a sophomore at Furman University and former St. Joseph's runner was the first runner in for the Paladins in 19:32.98. Furman placed third in the team standings, out of three teams.
FSU Invitational
Clemson women's cross country team placed fifth at the FSU Invitational Saturday. The FSU course is the site of the ACC Championships next month. Casey Phillips (Mauldin HS) was second in for the Tigers, finishing 38th. Freshman Sunday Ford (Wren HS) was fourth in for Clemson with a 42nd overall finish. Candice Johnson (Byrnes HS), also a freshman finished 52nd, as the No. 6 runner. The Clemson men did not compete this Saturday.
Wingate (N.C.) Invitational
Kate Prichard, a former Daniel High standout paced Mars Hill (N.C.) Saturday at the Wingate Invitational with a top six finish. Prichard covered the 6,000-meter course in 24:36. Jennifer Hitt, a 2004 graduated of Hillcrest HS finished eight seconds behind Prichard for Anderson College.
Coker College junior David Green (Easley HS) paced the Cobras with a ninth place 10,000-meter time of 35:14. Anderson College sophomore Ethan Schaffner rounded out the top-15 in 36:03.
Winthrop Invitational
Aiken graduate, now a junior at Gardner-Webb (N.C.) University Michele Milner posted a top three finishing time of 19:35 in the Gold event at the Winthrop Invitational Saturday. Milner's teammate Katherine Warden (Dreher HS) was second in for Gardner-Webb with a seven place finish. Winthrop's Jennifer Povick captured the individual win.
In the women's Garnet event Spartanburg Methodist freshman Jocelyn Veit (Brookland-Cayce HS) posted a top five finishing time of 20:25. Lander's Ivana Petrovic was sixth overall in 20:41, leading the Bearcats to the team title in the Garnet division. Southern Wesleyan's Erin Woodbury rounded out the top 10.
Winthrop Eagle teammates Trevor Beesley (Greenwood HS) and Brad Orr (Wren HS) finished third and fourth, respectively in the Gold division, leading the squad to a top three team finish. Winthrop freshman Brandon Hudgins (Northwestern HS) posted a ninth place time of 27:04 over the 8,000-meter course.
In the Garnet division Spartanburg Methodist's Griffin Cole (A.C. Flora HS) placed sixth overall. Cole is ranked 17th in the NJCAA 8,000-meter performance list. Presbyterian College's Matthew Elliot rounded out the top-10. In the team standings Spartanburg Methodist finished third and Presbyterian College placed fourth.
Eye Opener Trophy named in Memory of SMC's Tilley
Whitney Tilley, a former Abbeville High student and Spartanburg Methodist College cross country athlete passed away on July 24.
Eric Cummings, SMC head cross country coach announced that starting this year at the Eye Opener (Sept. 3) the collegiate women's individual trophy would be named in memory of Tilley, called the Whitney Tilley award.
Tilley graduated from Abbeville in 2003. During her last season in high school Tilley placed 90th in a field of 136 at the Upper State Championships in 26:21.
During Tilley's collegiate athletic tenure she placed 47th out of a field of 186 runners in the 2003 NJCAA National Championships in Kansas. At the 2004 championships, held in Texas, Tilley, affected by the heat placed 119th.
Tilley's sister, Courtney also ran for SMC and now has a real estate license following her graduation last spring.
Winning the individual trophy at the Eye Opener this year was Savannah College's Hilary White.
SMC Hosting NJCAA Half Marathon in November, Chip Timing to be used
Spartanburg Methodist College is hosting the NJCAA Half-Marathon Championships in Spartanburg Nov. 19.
Cummings estimates that about 30 colleges will attend this event, compared to 10 last season. Cummings mentioned how this would be a record number of teams competing.
Cummings mentioned that team's had to budget this event into their season.
In the future, Cummings has plans to host more meets at the Milliken Plant, as USC-Upstate (formerly USC-Spartanburg) did prior to the program being dropped in April 2004.
"We have been awarded the 2005, 2007, and 2009 Half-Marathon National Championships," said Cummings.
Cummings mentioned to make the event a success each SMC team has a responsibility at the event. This includes attending to water stations along the course, which is out and back for the first 10 miles along St. John's and HWY 29. The course will also follow Church St. and Pine St.
"We are using chip timing on all the athletes," Cummings mentioned.
The event will finish in Spartanburg's Barnett Park.
"I know spectator wise we are going to send a letter to all high schools," said Cummings. "We have been working with Team Spartanburg and the Spartanburg Convention and Business Bureau." Spartanburg Police will also help direct traffic during the event.
Cummings is in his fourth season at the helm of SMC's cross country programs. David Hill is in his first year assistant at SMC.
Submit college notes, results link and a link to an article on South Carolina cross country and track and field alumni to john@scrunners.com. SCRunners.com reserves the right on what is published.
Chuck King contributed to this report.
Coastal Carolina's Nelson Oliveira captured the individual men's title at the Coastal Carolina Invitational Saturday. Coastal Carolina captured the team title over Furman.
Justin Foxworth (Georgetown HS) placed fourth overall for Coastal Carolina in 26:27. Jake Morris, a 2004 graduate of Aiken HS placed seventh overall in 27:35.09. Former Byrnes high runner Johnny Mitchell placed 10th overall, covering the 8k distance in 27:57.60 for Coastal Carolina.
Coastal Carolina women were led by Saskia Janssen with a first place finishing time of 18:03.98, leading Coastal Carolina to the team title. Page Bridges, a sophomore at Furman University and former St. Joseph's runner was the first runner in for the Paladins in 19:32.98. Furman placed third in the team standings, out of three teams.
FSU Invitational
Clemson women's cross country team placed fifth at the FSU Invitational Saturday. The FSU course is the site of the ACC Championships next month. Casey Phillips (Mauldin HS) was second in for the Tigers, finishing 38th. Freshman Sunday Ford (Wren HS) was fourth in for Clemson with a 42nd overall finish. Candice Johnson (Byrnes HS), also a freshman finished 52nd, as the No. 6 runner. The Clemson men did not compete this Saturday.
Wingate (N.C.) Invitational
Kate Prichard, a former Daniel High standout paced Mars Hill (N.C.) Saturday at the Wingate Invitational with a top six finish. Prichard covered the 6,000-meter course in 24:36. Jennifer Hitt, a 2004 graduated of Hillcrest HS finished eight seconds behind Prichard for Anderson College.
Coker College junior David Green (Easley HS) paced the Cobras with a ninth place 10,000-meter time of 35:14. Anderson College sophomore Ethan Schaffner rounded out the top-15 in 36:03.
Winthrop Invitational
Aiken graduate, now a junior at Gardner-Webb (N.C.) University Michele Milner posted a top three finishing time of 19:35 in the Gold event at the Winthrop Invitational Saturday. Milner's teammate Katherine Warden (Dreher HS) was second in for Gardner-Webb with a seven place finish. Winthrop's Jennifer Povick captured the individual win.
In the women's Garnet event Spartanburg Methodist freshman Jocelyn Veit (Brookland-Cayce HS) posted a top five finishing time of 20:25. Lander's Ivana Petrovic was sixth overall in 20:41, leading the Bearcats to the team title in the Garnet division. Southern Wesleyan's Erin Woodbury rounded out the top 10.
Winthrop Eagle teammates Trevor Beesley (Greenwood HS) and Brad Orr (Wren HS) finished third and fourth, respectively in the Gold division, leading the squad to a top three team finish. Winthrop freshman Brandon Hudgins (Northwestern HS) posted a ninth place time of 27:04 over the 8,000-meter course.
In the Garnet division Spartanburg Methodist's Griffin Cole (A.C. Flora HS) placed sixth overall. Cole is ranked 17th in the NJCAA 8,000-meter performance list. Presbyterian College's Matthew Elliot rounded out the top-10. In the team standings Spartanburg Methodist finished third and Presbyterian College placed fourth.
Eye Opener Trophy named in Memory of SMC's Tilley
Whitney Tilley, a former Abbeville High student and Spartanburg Methodist College cross country athlete passed away on July 24.
Eric Cummings, SMC head cross country coach announced that starting this year at the Eye Opener (Sept. 3) the collegiate women's individual trophy would be named in memory of Tilley, called the Whitney Tilley award.
Tilley graduated from Abbeville in 2003. During her last season in high school Tilley placed 90th in a field of 136 at the Upper State Championships in 26:21.
During Tilley's collegiate athletic tenure she placed 47th out of a field of 186 runners in the 2003 NJCAA National Championships in Kansas. At the 2004 championships, held in Texas, Tilley, affected by the heat placed 119th.
Tilley's sister, Courtney also ran for SMC and now has a real estate license following her graduation last spring.
Winning the individual trophy at the Eye Opener this year was Savannah College's Hilary White.
SMC Hosting NJCAA Half Marathon in November, Chip Timing to be used
Spartanburg Methodist College is hosting the NJCAA Half-Marathon Championships in Spartanburg Nov. 19.
Cummings estimates that about 30 colleges will attend this event, compared to 10 last season. Cummings mentioned how this would be a record number of teams competing.
Cummings mentioned that team's had to budget this event into their season.
In the future, Cummings has plans to host more meets at the Milliken Plant, as USC-Upstate (formerly USC-Spartanburg) did prior to the program being dropped in April 2004.
"We have been awarded the 2005, 2007, and 2009 Half-Marathon National Championships," said Cummings.
Cummings mentioned to make the event a success each SMC team has a responsibility at the event. This includes attending to water stations along the course, which is out and back for the first 10 miles along St. John's and HWY 29. The course will also follow Church St. and Pine St.
"We are using chip timing on all the athletes," Cummings mentioned.
The event will finish in Spartanburg's Barnett Park.
"I know spectator wise we are going to send a letter to all high schools," said Cummings. "We have been working with Team Spartanburg and the Spartanburg Convention and Business Bureau." Spartanburg Police will also help direct traffic during the event.
Cummings is in his fourth season at the helm of SMC's cross country programs. David Hill is in his first year assistant at SMC.
Submit college notes, results link and a link to an article on South Carolina cross country and track and field alumni to john@scrunners.com. SCRunners.com reserves the right on what is published.
Chuck King contributed to this report.