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Cross Country Catamount Athletics

WCU Men Place Seventh, Women Eighth in Southern Conference Cross Country Championships

Oct. 31, 2009

Southern Conference Championship Men's Results Get Acrobat Reader

Southern Conference Championships Women's Results Get Acrobat Reader

Elon, N.C. - The Western Carolina men's cross country team placed seventh in the 8K and the women eighth in the 5K at the Southern Conference Championships hosted by Elon University on Saturday morning.

Four individuals earned All-Conference honors as the Catamounts competed in their final warm-up before the NCAA Southeast Regional in two weeks. Josey Weaver and Stephen Hammond both earned All-Conference accolades, while Nolan Clark and Mara Smith garnered All-Freshman distinction.

The Catamount men placed seventh after cumulating 158 points for an average time of 26:34.77. The seventh place finish was the same as last year's championship meet.

WCU's Weaver earned All-Conference honors after placing 12th with a time of 25:46.30. Weaver, a sophomore from Weaverville, N.C., earned his second honor after earning All-Freshman accolades last season by being named to the Southern Conference All-Conference second team.

Hammond, a senior, finished with his highest mark in the SoCon Championships with a time of 25:47.43 for 13th place, as he also earned second-team All-Conference honors.

Clark garnered All-Freshman team honors after placing 21st with a time of 26:12.59.

Drew Tucker (27:20.20, 53rd), Garrett West (27:47.32 66th) and Jake Swimmer (27:57.67, 63rd) rounded out the next three in order for WCU. Senior Jake Clawson finished with a time of 28:15.39 (67th) and freshman Tyler Dunn (29:02.43, 81st) rounded out the field for the Catamounts.

"We had three individuals that were named to the All-Conference and that's a great honor," said Catamounts coach Danny Williamson. "Going into the men's race, we knew could finish anywhere from third to seventh. We knew that it would take five guys performing at their best to finish at the top . We just didn't able to come through with that."

The Appalachian State men took home the Southern Conference Championship with 44 points and a time of 25:34.92.

The WCU women placed eighth, accumulating 168 points for an average time of 19:31.29 in the 5K event. Smith garnered All-Freshman honors as she led the Cats with a time of 19:16.34 for 24th place. Junior Jordan Gaddy followed immediately behind Gaddy with a time of 19:16.91 (25th), while Morgan Turner placed 31st with a time of 19:27.04.

Danielle Shaurette (19:42.85, 42nd), Leslie Raymond (19:53.27, 48th) and Lindsay Groce (20:01.17, 52nd) finished the middle pack for the Catamount women.

Adrian Cooke (20:17.49, 62nd), Christelle Vereb (20:22.87, 66th) and Olivia Jacobs (20:58.55, 82nd) rounded out the side for Western Carolina.

Samford edged Elon by one point and marginally six seconds to capture the Southern Conference Championship with 74 points.

"If you want to call it our worst race this year, you could," noted Williamson. "It couldn't come at a worse time with the Southern Conference Championship meet today. I am proud of Mara Smith earning All-Freshman honors. I think we will rebound at the NCAA Regionals."

The Catamounts will race in their final event of the season at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Louisville, Ky.

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