Link to ResultsGSC Release HOOVER, Ala. – The Union University women's cross country team claimed the 2014 Gulf South Conference Cross Country Championship Saturday morning at Veterans Park in Hoover, Ala. This was the first conference championship handed out by the GSC this season, and is the first GSC title for Union University in school history.
Union head coach Gary Johnson said, "We are excited to be able to bring home the school's first Gulf South Conference championship. We hope this is the first of many to come for our university. Our team goal has always been to honor God with our gift and today both teams did that."
This season, Union is able to compete for conference, region, and national championships at the NCAA Division II level after successfully completing the provisional membership process over the last three years. Union was awarded active membership status in the NCAA DII in July.
For Union, this is their third straight first place finish and fourth overall on the season in six races. Union finished the 5K race with a team time of 1:38:30.54 and 63 points. West Florida was second (1:39:21.07, 92 points). West Alabama finished third, Alabama Huntsville fourth, Valdosta State fifth, Shorter sixth, North Alabama seventh, West Georgia eighth, Christian Brothers ninth, and Delta State tenth. Lee and Mississippi College competed but did not apply in the final results as they are in the provisional membership process.
Union's
Audrey Hazlehurst was the top Lady Bulldog finisher in seventh and was the only Union runner in the top 10. However, Union boasted five total runners in the top 18 to seal the win. No other team had more than two runners in the top-18.
Hazelhurst scored seventh with a time of 19:22. West Florida's Kelly Bahn was first with a time of 18:44. Other Union runners included
BethAnne Davis scoring 11th (19:42),
Lindsey Jakeman scoring 13
th (19:44),
Janey Berends scoring 14
th (19:45),
Abby Berends scoring 18
th (19:55),
Sarah Fickley scoring 22
nd (20:05),
Amy McKelvey scoring 31
st (20:29),
Julia Berends 40
th (20:39), and
Anna McKelvey 54
th (21:17).
Union's Hazelhurst was named to the 2014 All-GSC First Team, while Davis, Jakeman,
Janey Berends, and
Abby Berends were each named to the All-GSC Second Team.
Janey Berends earned GSC All-Freshman honors.
Up next for Union will be the NCAA DII South Region Championships in Huntsville, Ala., Saturday, November 22.
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