Furman wins seventh straight team titles

Cross Country (M)

Photo Courtesy of Southern Conference

Furman wins seventh straight team titles

Courtesy: Southern Conference
Release: 11/02/2019

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Furman Paladins earned their seventh consecutive men’s and women’s team titles on Saturday at the Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at Pine Oaks Golf Course, hosted by ETSU. Furman’s Ryan Adams won the men’s 8K race and Hannah Steelman of Wofford took first in the women’s 5K race. Both were recognized as runners of the year for their first-place performances.

The women hit the course first at 10 a.m., with Steelman and Furman's Gabrielle Jennings leading the pack from the start. Steelman bested her time from last year by just over three seconds, crossing the finish line first in a time of 17:02.08 to claim the 2019 SoCon Runner of the Year award after taking the honor last season. Jennings was not far behind, clocking a time of 17:05.89 as she finished second. Furman’s Savannah Carnahan (17:44.56), Kristlin Gear (17:55.88), Emma Grace Hurley (18:01.77) and Grace Dwyer (18:11.42) were next across the finish line, with Samford’s Mary Grace Strozier (18:18.55) rounding out the All-Southern Conference first team in seventh.

Samford’s McKenzie Hogue earned freshman of the year honors with her 13^th-place finish, completing the race in 18:52.86.

Furman claimed first place in the women’s team competition with 20 points. Samford placed second with 86 points and UNC Greensboro took third with 91 points.

The men got started at 10:45 a.m. in the 8K race. Furman’s Adams ran away with the individual title, crossing the finish line in a time of 24:40.72, almost 18 seconds ahead of the next runner to claim the 2019 SoCon Runner of the Year award. He was trailed by fellow Paladin Daniel Bernal (24:58.33) and ETSU’s Ben Varghese (25:09.99), as well as teammates Cameron Ponder (25:30.83) and David Ahlmeyer (25:31.23). Samford’s Dillon Dean (25:35.09) and VMI’s Jahanzib Shahbaz (25:35.45) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, rounding out the first team honorees.

Furman’s Ahlmeyer earned freshman of the year honors with his fifth-place finish, completing the race in 25:31.23.

Furman claimed first place in the men’s team competition with 21 points. ETSU placed second with 56 points and Samford took third with 92 points.

Furman’s Trent Mandato and Emma Kuntz claimed the men’s and women’s Pinnacle Awards, which are given to the student-athletes with the highest grade point average on the championship-winning teams who have completed a minimum of two semesters at their institutions.

Furman’s Robert Gary garnered men’s coach of the year honors for the seventh consecutive year and also claimed the women’s coach of the year award for the third consecutive year.

Men’s Team Scores
1. Furman – 21
2. ETSU – 56
3. Samford – 92
4. VMI – 106
5. UNCG – 127
6. Chattanooga – 166
7. Mercer - 182
8. Western Carolina – 224
9. Wofford – 246
10. The Citadel – 285

Women’s Team Scores
1. Furman – 20
2. Samford – 86
3. UNCG – 91
4. ETSU – 115
5. Wofford – 139
6. Chattanooga – 158
7. Western Carolina – 184
8. VMI – 221
9. Mercer – 224
10. The Citadel - 247

Men’s First-Team All-SoCon
1. Ryan Adams, Furman
2. Daniel Bernal, Furman
3. Ben Varghese, ETSU
4. Cameron Ponder, Furman
5. David Ahlmeyer, Furman
6. Dillon Dean, Samford
7. Jahanzib Shahbaz, VMI

Women’s First-Team All-SoCon
1. Hannah Steelman, Wofford
2. Gabrielle Jennings, Furman
3. Savannah Carnahan, Furman
4. Kristlin Gear, Furman
5. Emma Grace Hurley, Furman
6. Grace Dwyer, Furman
7. Mary Grace Strozier, Samford

Men’s Second-Team All-SoCon
8. Adam Bradtmueller, ETSU
9. Ares Reading, Furman
10. Alex Roy, UNCG
11. Trent Mandato, Furman
12. Ben Garner, Samford
13. Gavin Jenkins, VMI
14. Noah Charles, ETSU

Women’s Second-Team All-SoCon
8. Emily Lane, Furman
9. Emma Kuntz, Furman
10. Makenzie Jones, Chattanooga
11. Riley Burr, Furman
12. Kaitlyn Stone, UNCG
13. McKenzie Hogue, Samford
14. Lindsey Trotter, Western Carolina

Men’s All-Freshman Team
David Ahlmeyer, Furman
Ares Reading, Furman
Jeb Jones, Samford
Noah Dolhare, Furman
Seth Bowdon, ETSU
Jonathan Krone, VMI
Dennison Kelly, VMI

Women’s All-Freshman Team
McKenzie Hogue, Samford
Lauren Peterson, Furman
Katie Strozier, Samford
Lindsay Holliday, ETSU
Lesley Green, Chattanooga
Heidi Fortin, The Citadel
Mattie Parker, Chattanooga