Furman Men and Women Win 11th Straight Cross Country Championships

Kernersville, N.C. – Furman won their 11th straight men’s and women’s titles at the 2023 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by UNCG on Friday at Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville, N.C. Furman’s Dylan Schubert won the men’s race, while Furman’s Abigail Robertson captured the women’s individual title, setting a new course record.

The women’s 5K race led off the day at 10 a.m. Robertson, a fifth-year senior from Marietta, Georgia, finished in 16:41.7 to pace eight Furman runners in the top 10 and lead the Paladins to the team win with 20 points. Furman won their third-straight individual title and 11th straight team championship.

Furman sophomore Carly Wilkes finished in second with a time of 16:45.8 followed by Chattanooga’s Lesley Boyd at 16:49.9. Furman’s Kaylie Armitage and Mercer’s Kamila Soja followed in fourth and fifth, while Furman’s Jenna Mulhern and Sierra Bower were sixth and seventh, respectively, to round out the All-SoCon first team.

Robertson, Furman’s third straight individual women’s champion, was named the SoCon Runner of the Year. Furman coach Robert Gary was tabbed the SoCon Coach of the Year for the 11^th consecutive year after leading the Paladins to their 11th straight title.

The Samford Bulldogs finished with 71 team points, while Chattanooga was third with 75 points.

Samford’s Adeline Haisch finished 12^th overall in 17:40.3, earning SoCon Freshman of the Year honors as the first true freshman finisher.

Furman sophomore Jenna Mulhern, a Communications major from West Chester, Pennsylvania, earned the Pinnacle Award as the member of championship-winning team with the highest GPA.

The men’s 8K race followed at 10:45 a.m., with Schubert crossing first in 23:33.7. Jason Bowers of ETSU followed with a time of 23:45.6. Furman’s Cameron Ponder came in third with a time of 24:02.0 followed by teammate Carson Williams at 24:07.8. Evan Guzman, Nicholas Goldstein, and Myles Stoot finished out the All-SoCon team, completing the race in that order.

Schubert, the SoCon Runner of the Year, was the first of six Furman runners to finish in the top 10, as the 12^th-ranked Paladins scored 22 points. The senior from Loveland, Colorado represents Furman’s eight-straight individual title and 11^th straight team championship.

Furman’s Robert Gary and ETSU’s George Watts were named men’s SoCon Co-Coaches of the Year. VMI’s Kevin Shank finished in 11^th place to secure Freshman Runner of the Year.

Luke Taylor, a sophomore math and economics major from Rockville, Virginia, and the eighth-place finisher, was Furman’s Pinnacle Award winner.

ETSU claimed the runner-up team finish with 47 team points. The Bucs finished second for the third straight season. Mercer was third with 112 points.

2023 SoCon Cross Country Championships 
Team                           Points   
1. Furman                      22 
2. ETSU                        47 
3. Mercer                      112 
4. Chattanooga            133 
5. Samford                   145 
6. Western Carolina     166 
7. UNCG                      168 
8. VMI                          184 
9.Citadel                       237 
10. Wofford                  307  

Women’s Results   
Team                           Points   
1. Furman                     20   
2. Samford                    71  
3. Chattanooga             75   
4. Mercer                      104   
5. ETSU                        122   
6. UNCG                       185   
7. Wofford                     227   
8. Western Carolina      230  
9. VMI                           238   
10. The Citadel             309   

2023 Southern Conference Men’s Cross Country   
Runner of the Year   
Dylan Schubert, Furman   

Freshman of the Year   
Kevin Shank, VMI   

Coach of the Year   
Robert Gary, Furman and George Watts, ETSU   

Pinnacle Award   
Luke Taylor, Furman   

All-SoCon First Team   
Dylan Schubert, Furman   
Jason Bowers, ETSU 
Cameron Ponder, Furman 
Carson Williams, Furman 
Evan Guzman, ETSU 
Nicholas Goldstein, Furman 
Myles Stoots, ETSU 

All-SoCon Second Team   
Luke Taylor, Furman 
Ethan Long, UNCG 
Matthew Smith, Furman 
Kevin Shank, VMI 
David Ahlmeyer, Furman 
Aaron Isbell, Chattanooga 
Jackson Martin, Chattanooga    

All-Freshman Team   
Luke Taylor, Furman 
Kevin Shank, VMI 
Jackson Martin, Chattanooga 
Brayden Seymour, Furman 
Chance Underwood, ETSU 
Luke Young, ETSU 
Will Jordan, Samford 

2023 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country   
Runner of the Year   
Abigail Robertson, Furman  

Freshman of the Year   
Adeline Haisch, Samford  

Coach of the Year   
Robert Gary, Furman   

Pinnacle Award   
Jenna Mulhern, Furman   

All-SoCon First Team   
Abigail Robertson, Furman  
Carly Wilkes, Furman  
Lesley Green, Chattanooga  
Kaylie Armitage, Furman  
Kamila Soja, Mercer  
Jenna Mulhern, Furman  
Sierra Bower, Furman  

All-SoCon Second Team   
Nicole Matysik, Furman  
Emma Jones, Furman  
Madelynne Cadeau, Furman  
Kiera Snyder, ETSU  
Adeline Haisch, Samford  
Megan Marvin, Furman  
Maddie Wheatcroft, Chattanooga  

All-Freshman Team   
Adeline Haisch, Samford  
Jillian Sisk, VMI  
Bella Edwards, Samford  
Anna Adams, Samford  
Lola Baker, Chattanooga  
Becca Hinds, Wofford  
Grace Lane, Western Carolina