ETSU's Bowers and Furman's Walters claim runner of the year honors at XC Men's and Women's Championship, respectively

MILL SPRING, N.C. — Furman University continued its cross country success with both the men’s and women’s teams earning their 13th consecutive titles at the 2025 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships. Tessa Walter of Furman won the women’s individual race, while ETSU’s Jason Bowers claimed the men’s individual title. 

The women’s 5K race began at 10 a.m. Walter finished first with a time of 17:03.7, improving on her season-opening mark of 17:21.10, notching a season’s best. A three-time Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week honoree, Walter was named the 2025 Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year. She is the 13th consecutive women’s individual champion from Furman. Teammates Nysa Males and Rory Sullivan also placed in the top five, finishing second and fifth, respectively. Emma Jones, a business administration major, received the 2025 Women’s Pinnacle Award. 

The men’s 8K race followed at 10:45 a.m. Bowers led from the start and secured the individual title after a season that included three consecutive wins and three Runner of the Week honors. He was named the 2025 Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. 

Furman runners placed second through seventh in the men’s race, securing the team title. Luke Taylor, a mathematics and economics major, was recognized with the 2025 Men’s Pinnacle Award.  

UNCG’s Luke Hühn earned the Men’s Freshman of the Year honor as the top true freshman finisher. 

WOMEN’S TEAM POINTS  

1.Furman 23  

2.Mercer 68 

3.Chattanooga 82 

4.Western Carolina 123 

5. Samford 129  

6. ETSU 140  

7. VMI 206 

8. UNCG 212 

9.Wofford 244 

10. The Citadel 300 

2025 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year  

Tessa Walter, Furman 

2025 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year 

Tessa Walter, Furman 

2025 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year 

Rita Gary, Furman 

2025 Southern Conference Women’s Cross Country Pinnacle Award Winner 

Emma Jones, Furman 

First Team All-Conference 

Tessa Walter, Furman  

Nysa Males, Furman  

Mary Grace Parker, Mercer 

Maddie Wheatcroft, Chattanooga  

Rory Sullivan, Furman  

Felicity Hamilton, Samford  

Zoie Lamanna, Furman 

Second Team All-Conference 

Jais Ward, Furman  

Annie Miller, Furman  

Nichole Harris, Mercer 

Katherine Bannigan, Furman  

Emma Jones, Furman  

Leah Boyd, Chattanooga 

Sophie Beach, ETSU  

All-Freshman Team 

Tessa Walter, Furman  

Nysa Males, Furman 

Mary Grace Parker, Mercer 

Rory Sullivan, Furman  

Zoie Lamanna, Furman  

Jais Ward, Furman  

Annie Miller, Furman 

MEN’S TEAM POINTS 

1.Furman 20 

2.ETSU 85 

3.UNCG 104 

4. Chattanooga 105 

5.Samford 115 

6.Mercer 129 

7. Western Carolina 157 

8. VMI 231 

9.The Citadel 273 

10.Wofford 288 

2025 Southern Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year  

Jason Bowers, ETSU  

2025 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year 

Luke Hühn, UNCG 

2025 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year 

Robert Gary, Furman 

2025 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country Pinnacle Award Winner 

Luke Taylor, Furman 

All-Freshman Team 

Rives Boltwood, Furman  

Matteo Tonnos, Furman  

Tripp Roemer, Furman

Luke Huhn, UNCG  

Matthias Peterson, Western Carolina 

Jaleb Saunders, Western Carolina

Eli Clonch, Western Carolina 

First Team All-Conference 

Jason Bowers, ETSU  

Albert Velikonja, Furman  

Christopher Knight, Furman  

Bryn Woodall, Furman  

Luke Taylor, Furman  

Rives Boltwood, Furman  

Matteo Tonnos, Furman 

Second Team All-Conference 

Jackson Martin, Chattanooga 

Colton Kempney, Furman  

Chance Underwood, ETSU  

Tripp Roemer, Furman  

Luke Hühn, UNCG  

David Brown, Samford 

William Jordan, Samford