SPARTANBURG, S.C. –The 2015 Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships are set for Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Furman Golf Course in Greenville, S.C. The event will begin with the men’s 8K race at 10 a.m., followed by the women’s 5K race at 10:45 a.m. An awards ceremony, which will honor the top team and individual performances, will follow the women’s race.
Host Furman will look to continue its reign as SoCon champion. The Paladin men and women, who were both selected as preseason favorites by the league’s coaches, have won the past two SoCon Championships.
On the men’s side, the Paladins feature a strong group led by junior Tanner Hinkle, who has earned runner of the week three times this season. Hinkle, along with returning teammates Troy Reeder and Aaron Templeton, placed in the top five at the 2014 SoCon Championship. VMI senior Avery Martin was the best non-Furman finisher last year, crossing the line in 10th place. Martin, along with Samford sophomore Arsène Guillorel, who posted a 13th-place finish last year, should be in the mix for the men’s crown.
In the women’s race, competitors will be trying to dethrone 2014 champion Allie Buchalski, a sophomore from Furman. The Johns Creek, Ga., native has shown no signs of slowing down this year. She claimed three runner of the week honors this fall and will look to add to her accolades on Saturday. ETSU senior Katie Hirko, who finished third last year and trailed Buchalski by only six seconds, should compete for the title. Saturday’s race will also feature the return of Chattanooga senior Teghan Henderson. The 2013 champ missed last year’s championship due to injury but will surely be looking to reclaim her individual crown.
The team competitions will feature a number of teams trying to take down the defending-champion Paladins. The ETSU men and the Chattanooga women – both second in 2014 – could vie for the overall titles. Samford should also be in contention for both team titles. The Bulldog women were picked to finish second in the preseason coaches poll, while the men were selected to finish third.
For complete results, photos, highlights and more from the championship, visit www.soconsports.com.
-www.SoConSports.com-