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MocsVision Weeklies: Cross Country

MocsVision Weeklies: Women's Cross

8K Men's Results

Men's 8K Individual Results

5K Women's Results

Women's 5K Individual Results

"It was a gutsy effort on her part," Chattanooga Head Coach Bill Gautier said. "She was running with Teghan [Henderson] and then she fell in the woods. They were just a half mile from the finish line. Kathryn [Stuart] helped her up and then she staggered and fell again. It was very emotional. People wanted to help her as she was crawling to the finish line.

"We could possibly have finished fourth if not for her falling. She was out of it, but kept moving. I couldn't be more pleased with the women's effort today."

Wind and rain from the offshore Hurricane Sandy affected the day with wind and rain hitting the runners.

In the men's race, senior Nathan Wanuch (Mississauga, Ontario) lived up to expectations placing third overall in the 8K race with a time of 24:35.64 earning All-Conference First Team honors and leading the Mocs to a second place finish.

"We have flirted with being back on top the last couple of years and I really thought this was our year until Lucas [Cotter] and Mark [Cole] got hurt," Gautier said. "Nathan did a great job. He really came into his own this season and the freshmen stepped up when we needed them."

Senior Lucas Cotter (Collierville, Tenn.), the Mocs lone returning All-Conference performer made his way onto the league's second team with a 12th place finish after returning to the course just two weeks ago. He ran the 8K event in a time of 25:13.75.

Freshman Trevor Janssen (Jordan Station, Ontario) earned SoCon Freshman of the Year honors Saturday as the league's first rookie across the line placing 18th overall with a time of 25:33.83. Classmate Paul Stuart (Brentwood, Tenn.) was 28th for the Mocs with a time of 25:47.52 and was named to the SoCon All-Freshman team.

Sophomore John Gilpin (Nashville, Tenn.) was the fifth MOC across the line in a time of 25:50.50 followed immediate by fellow sophomore Drew Austell (Memphis, Tenn.) with a time of 25:57.52. Junior Mark Cole (McKenzie, Tenn.) who hasn't run a step this season lined up to start the race and was at one point leading the second group. However, he was unable to finish due to his limited time training this year.

"What Mark did today speaks volumes about this team," Gautier said. "He hasn't run at all this season but wanted to do his part to boost his teammates and help them as much as he could."

The Mountaineers took first in the men's race with 63 points placing all five scoring runners in the Top 20. The Mocs edged defending SoCon champion UNCG by two points despite the Spartans taking the top two spots and placing a third in the Top 10. Junior Paul Chelimo was first with a time of 23:42.22 followed by teammate Paul Katam with a time of 23:57.50.

Davidson placed fourth with 97 points and Furman was fifth with 129 points.

In the women's race, sophomore Amanda Sumner (Bristol, Conn.) was the top Lady Moc across the line placing sixth overall (17:47.79) in her first Southern Conference Championship race earning All-Conference First Team honors. Freshman Teghan Henderson (Pickering, Ontario) was the UTC runner across the line in a time of 18:20.08 placing 22nd overall and earning a spot on the All-Freshman team.

"Amanda ran very well. She did what I knew she could," Gautier said. "Teghan had a lot of pressure on her and she came through. That's a lot for someone who won't be 18 until December. She didn't give up. She had a couple of bad spots in the race, but she came through. I'm so proud of all of them."

Junior Kathryn Stuart (Brentwood, Tenn.) finished with a time of 18:44.43 followed by Stewart who placed 68th out of 97 runners with a time of 19:36.59. Junior Mary Cumbee (Brentwood, Tenn.) was Chattanooga's final scoring runner across the line with a time of 19:57.01 followed by freshman Helenka Kis (Columbia, Tenn.) with a time of 21:25.35.

Appalachian State claimed the women's title with 64 points, outmaneuvering second place Elon by four points. Samford had the top two finishers in the 5K event led by senior Lauren D'Alessio with a time of 16:57.65 and place third with 97 points. Furman finished fourth (118) followed by Davidson (132) and Western Carolina (145).

Up next for the Mocs is the NCAA South Regional on November 9 in Tallahassee, Fla.

"Everyone ran their hearts out today," Gautier said. "We're making progress and I feel
really good about the future of both of these teams."

October 27, 2012