Results
HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – The SCAD Savannah women’s cross country team placed seven runners on the All-Sun Conference team – including three of the top four finishers – to edge 24th-ranked Southeastern and claim its fourth straight team title Saturday at the Sun Conference Cross Country Championships.
The Bees placed seven runners in the top 14, led by the trio of Caroline Cook, Charlotta Zeiler and Alessa Reuffurth in second, third and fourth, to finish with 30 points, beating Southeastern by 13.
USCB’s Betsy Douglas successfully defended her individual title, running a 5K time of 17:50 for a nine-second win over Cook to claim one of four individual at-large bids to the NAIA National Championships.
The other three spots will go to Southeastern’s Julia Kaster, Sydni Ogilvie and Megan Fitzgerald – unless the Fire are awarded an at-large team bid, in which case Keiser’s Josefine Malmborg, USCB’s Jaime Thomas, and St. Thomas’ Andrea Peterson would claim the final three spots.
Douglas also was named the Runner of the Year and the conference Champions of Character award winner. Douglas, who was born in Ethiopia and orphaned as an infant before being adopted by an American military family, maintains a 3.45 GPA in USCB’s demanding Nursing program and devotes time to community service while also training at an elite level.
Southeastern’s Hannah Palm, who finished eighth overall, was named the Newcomer of the Year, and Fire coach Paul Kurtz was voted the Coach of the Year by his peers.
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE
First Team
Betsy Douglas, USCB
Caroline Cook, SCAD Savannah
Charlotta Zeiler, SCAD Savannah
Alessa Reuffurth, SCAD Savannah
Julia Kaster, Southeastern
Sydni Ogilvie, Southeastern
Megan Fitzgerald, Southeastern
Second Team
Hannah Palm, Southeastern
Diana Gorin, SCAD Savannah
Josefine Malmborg, Keiser
Jaime Thomas, USCB
Courtney Pansza, SCAD Savannah
Elise Engles, SCAD Savannah
Caroline Lepesant, SCAD Savannah
Runner of the Year
Betsy Douglas, USCB
Newcomer of the Year
Hannah Palm, Southeastern
Champion of Character
Betsy Douglas, USCB
Coach of the Year
Paul Kurtz, Southeastern
All-Academic Team
Mary Buzzanca, Ave Maria
Maria Graves, Ave Maria
Mary Kozik, Ave Maria
Marie Mullally, Ave Maria
Mary Rexroat, Ave Maria
Clare Eckard, Ave Maria
Brigid Lennon, Ave Maria
Deneca Hamilton, Keiser
Caroline Cook, SCAD Savannah
Elise Engles, SCAD Savannah
Christina Glover, SCAD Savannah
Diana Gorin, SCAD Savannah
Nicole Kurtz, SCAD Savannah
Monica Medrano, SCAD Savannah
Alessa Reuffurth, SCAD Savannah
Charlotta Zeiler, SCAD Savannah
Julia Kaster, Southeastern
Megan Fitzgerald, Southeastern
Kendall Hayes, Southeastern
Sarah Deibner, Southeastern
Sydni Ogilvie, Southeastern
Kristina Paskiewicz, Southeastern
Rachel Davis, Southeastern
Jordyn Bench, Southeastern
Ellie Palm, Southeastern
Kim Copeland, Southeastern
Anna Ahrens, Southeastern
Claudia Avila, St. Thomas
Emily Hernandez, St. Thomas
Jamie Thomas, USCB
Hannah Johnson, USCB
Charisa Broadway, Warner
Kristen Isabelle, Warner
Joyce Caba, Webber
Koree Ream, Webber