CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Chris Berry (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) ran the "race of a lifetime" last Friday at the Stanford Invitational placing him among the best in the NCAA.
Berry shattered a 14-year-old school record held by Rodney Stoker (30:14.00) by nearly a minute with a time of 29:19.72 in the 10,000 meter race. That time places him 40th in the nation and third in the NCAA South Region, as reported by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. He ranks third behind Middle Tennessee's Justus David (28:55.69) and Florida State's Michael Fout (28:57.89).
Berry also ranks among the top runners in the South Region in the 5000 meter race along with teammate Lucas Cotter (Collierville, Tenn.). At the Stanford Invitational, Cotter ran the event in a time of 14:29.49 despite sustaining a foot injury during the race. According to head coach Bill Gautier, Cotter was on pace to finish the event near the 14:10 mark, a near-school record pace. That was good enough to place him fifth in the South Region rankings in the event.
Berry set his top time of 14:34.86 in the 5000 meter this season at the USF Bulls Invitational on March 15 in Tampa, Fla. Josh izewski of Florida holds the region's top time at 14:02.57 followed by Georgia's Brandon Lord (14:21.03) and Tennessee's Chris Bodary (14:23.08).
The Mocs run this weekend at the Tennessee State meet before gearing up for the Southern Conference Championships April 21-22 in Cullowhee, N.C., at the Western Carolina Catamount Athletic Complex.
