Thursday, October 20, 2005

SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE TEAMS TO COMPETE FOR FOOD LION SAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

ROCK HILL, SC - The Mars Hill College men's cross country will be aiming for its eighth consecutive conference championship, while the defending champion Mars Hill women's team is expected to face some tough competition from Carson-Newman and Wingate at the 2005 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference men's and women's cross country championships, which will take place Saturday at the Greene Valley Development Center in Greeneville, Tennessee. Tusculum College is the host institution.

The Mars Hill men are led by Daniel Amick, a two-time Runner of the Week, and Jon Stoeher, also a Runner of the Week award winner. The Lions are the top-ranked team in the Southeast Region.

Wingate is the third-ranked men's team in the region. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Bradon DiBianca, who was Runner of the Week after he finished 29th in the prestigious Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic October 8.

Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson-Newman are also ranked in the top 10 in the region. Jose Zavala and Adam Stewart are the top runners for the Bears, while Carson-Newman's Ryan Althaus is coming off a win at the Belmont Abbey Invitational.

Other top runners in the league include Presbyterian's Matthew Elliott, a two-time Runner of the Week who won the Francis Marion Invitational; Tusculum's Ross Lewis, Newberry's Jack Holden and Catawba's Brad Heron.

The Mars Hill women have won six of the last seven conference titles, with Carson-Newman winning the 2002 title on the same course that will be used this weekend. The Lady Eagles enter the conference meet as the No. 1 team in the Southeast region, led by freshman standout Aubrey Morris, who has been named SAC Runner of the Week three times this season.

Wingate is the regions second-ranked team. Lindsay Boldt and Natalie Creech are the team leaders for the Bulldogs.

Mars Hill enters the conference championship as the third-ranked team in the region. Rachel Retallick is the top runner for the Lady Lions.

Catawba is ranked 10th in the region. Rori Godsey and Kelly Phillips are the top runners for the Indians.

Other top individual runners include Lenoir-Rhyne's Genna Eisenmann, a Runner of the Week; Presbyterian's Amanda Garvin and Newberry's Laura Banda.

The women's meet will start at 9 a.m., with the men's race scheduled to start at 10 a.m. An awards ceremony will take place after the conclusion of the men's race.