Southern Conference

Women's Cross Country Southern Conference

Furman Sweeps Team Titles for Fifth Straight Year

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Furman Paladins earned their fifth consecutive men’s and women’s team titles on Saturday at the Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at Milliken Research Park. Furman’s Aaron Templeton won the men’s 8K race, while Furman’s Allie Buchalski took first in the women’s 5K race. Both were recognized as runners of the year for their first-place performances.

The women got things underway at 10 a.m. Buchalski, a senior, crossed the line with a time of 16:23.4, 20 seconds ahead of the next runner, to claim the 2017 SoCon runner of the year award. She was trailed by 2016 runner of the year Karisa Nelson of Samford (16.43.7) and Furman’s Savannah Carnahan (16:46.7), who finished second and third, respectively. Gabrielle Jennings (Furman), Anna Long (Samford), Hannah Steelman (Wofford) and Grace Dwyer (Furman) rounded out the Nos. 4-7 spots, comprising the first-team All-SoCon honorees.

Steelman finished in sixth place to best the rest of the freshmen, earning her freshman of the year honors. Steelman is the first Wofford women’s cross country runner to earn freshman of the year honors and her time of 16:59.4 broke the Wofford program record by nearly 30 seconds.

In the women’s team competition, Furman earned 23 points to take first. Samford checked in second with 43 points, while ETSU finished third with 97 points. The Paladins had six of their nine runners finish in the top 10.

In the men’s race, Templeton nabbed first overall with a time of 23:43.9. He was followed by four other Paladins as Furman claimed the top five spots in the race. Josh Brickell (23:25.34) placed second overall, Tanner Hinkle (24:00.5) took third, Frank Lara (24:06.9), last year’s individual winner, placed fourth and Troy Reeder (24:06.9) rounded out the top five. Samford’s Arsene Guillorel and Furman’s Mason Coppi rounded out the All-SoCon first-team honorees.

Furman claimed first place in the men’s team competition with 15 points. ETSU placed second with 61 points and Samford took third with 78 points.

Furman’s Daniel Bernal earned freshman of the year with his eighth-place finish, completing the race in 24:25.2.

Furman’s Brickell and Carnahan claimed the men’s and women’s Pinnacle Awards, which are given to the student-athletes with the highest GPA on the championship-winning teams who have completed a minimum of two semesters at their institutions.

Furman’s Robert Gary garnered men’s coach of the year honors for the fifth consecutive year and also claimed the 2017 women’s coach of the year award.

Men’s Team Scores

  1. Furman – 15
  2. ETSU – 61
  3. Samford – 78
  4. Chattanooga – 120
  5. VMI – 160
  6. UNCG -- 195
  7. Western Carolina – 200
  8. Wofford – 211
  9. The Citadel – 225
  10. Mercer -- 233

Women’s Team Scores

  1. Furman – 23
  2. Samford – 43
  3. ETSU – 97
  4. Chattanooga – 141
  5. UNCG – 168
  6. Wofford – 168
  7. Western Carolina – 195
  8. Mercer – 212
  9. VMI – 214
  10. The Citadel – 253

Men’s First-Team All-SoCon

  1. Aaron Templeton, Furman
  2. Josh Brickell, Furman
  3. Tanner Hinkle, Furman
  4. Frank Lara, Furman
  5. Troy Reeder, Furman
  6. Arsène Guillorel, Samford
  7. Mason Coppi, Furman

Women’s First-Team All-SoCon

  1. Allie Buchalski, Furman
  2. Karisa Nelson, Samford
  3. Savannah Carnahan, Furman
  4. Gabrielle Jennings, Furman
  5. Anna Long, Samford
  6. Hannah Steelman, Wofford
  7. Grace Dwyer, Furman

Men’s Second-Team All-SoCon

  1. Daniel Bernal, Furman
  2. Ryan Adams, Furman
  3. Ben Varghese, ETSU
  4. Jake Ogden, Furman
  5. Ben Bryant, Samford
  6. Noah Charles, ETSU
  7. James Garst, ETSU

Women’s Second-Team All-SoCon

  1. Emma Grace Hurley, Furman
  2. Riley Burr, Furman
  3. Mary Grace Strozier, Samford
  4. Haley Ward, Samford
  5. Lindsey Stallworth, ETSU
  6. Emily Poole, Chattanooga
  7. Kristlin Gear, Furman

Men’s All-Freshman Team

  1. Daniel Bernal, Furman
  2. Ben Varghese, ETSU
  3. Noah Charles, ETSU
  4. Louis Morris, ETSU
  5. Soresa Gemechu, ETSU
  6. Ben Garner, Samford
  7. Juan Rodriguez, UNCG
  8. Josiah Jaqua, Mercer

Women’s All-Freshman Team

  1. Hannah Steelman, Wofford
  2. Lindsey Stallworth, ETSU
  3. Kristlin Gear, Furman
  4. Emily Lane, Furman
  5. Ariana Garcia, UNCG
  6. Abbey Zane, Samford
  7. India Godlock, UNCG

Men’s Freshman of the Year

Daniel Bernal, Furman

Women’s Freshman of the Year

Hannah Steelman, Wofford

Men’s Runner of the Year

Aaron Templeton, Furman

Women’s Runner of the Year

Allie Buchalski, Furman

Men’s Pinnacle Award Recipient

Josh Brickell, Furman

Women’s Pinnacle Award Recipient

Savannah Carnahan, Furman

Men’s Coach of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman

Women’s Coaches of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman