Men take ninth at SEC Cross Country Championships

October 28, 2016 | Track & Field

Oct. 28, 2016

Men's Results Women's Results

Fayetteville, Ark.-- The Tennessee men's and women's cross country teams competed in the SEC Championships on Friday as the men earned ninth and the women finished 14th.

Men's Results

(26) Zach Long -- 25:10.0
(60) Andre Hillsman -- 26:03.0
(64) Nick Brey -- 26:06.2
(81) Dartanian Oakley -- 26:45.7
(82) Gashaw Duhamel -- 26:47.2
(85) Tyler Woodrome -- 26:53.6
(88) Wesley Robinson -- 26:59.3
(101) Joe Bindner - 27:55.5

Women's Results

(56) Megan Murray - 22:04.0
(76) Peighton Meske -- 22:22.7
(117) Jessica Rizor -- 23:32.48
(129) Cassidy Giles -- 24:14.6
(134) Emma Reed -- 25:16.6

On the men's side, sophomore Zach Long finished the 8K championship in 26th overall, crossing the line with a time of 25:10.0. Long has led the Vols in each race this season, and led the squad throughout the race. Juniors Andre Hillsman and Nick Brey finished within 3.2 seconds of each other to round out the Volunteers' top three finishers. Hillsman placed 60th overall with a time of 26:03.0 and Brey followed in 64th with a mark of 26:06.2.

"It was another great performance from Zach Long; he went from 53rd at last year's championship to 28th today," said Director of Cross Country & Track and Field Director Beth Alford-Sullivan. "He got in trouble in mile three, but closed the race well. We got another big race out of Andre Hillsman; he stepped up today finishing as our number two runner."

Sophomore Dartanian Oakley (26:45.7), freshman Gashaw Duhamel (26:47.2), junior Tyler Woodrome (26:53.6) and sophomore Wesley Robinson (26:59.3) packed up to finish within eight spots of one another. The men's squad, ranked 10th in the South Region entering the SEC Championship, earned a total of 275 points to edge Auburn (eighth in the South region) for ninth place in the SEC.

"It was a difficult course because it was hot and windy, and it was stretched out field, but we competed hard and packed up well," Alford-Sullivan said. "Our roster has a lot of freshmen and sophomores, but we have been battle-tested this year. We just need to continue to gain experience and running miles in the offseason and this group has the ability to crack the top five or six in conference next year."

Freshman Megan Murray led the women's squad in the 6K with a time of 22:04.0. Murray has led the team in all three of her collegiate races this season. She finished in 56th. Sophomore Peighton Meske crossed the line shortly after Murray, with a time of 22:22.7. Sophomores Jessica Rizor (23:32.9), Cassidy Giles (24:14.6) and Emma Reed (25:16.6) rounded out the Tennessee women's squad. Giles surpassed her 6K personal record which was set at the Crimson Classic on Oct. 14.

"Megan Murray had a great SEC Championship debut and we got a much better race from Peighton Meske than last year," said Alford-Sullivan. "We have a lot of rebuilding to do on the women's side. We finished where we thought we might; it was a frustrating day across the board, but I think we can make some leaps and bounds across the conference in the upcoming years."

The women's cross country team will compete next weekend in the Hokie Open hosted by Virginia Tech on Friday, Nov. 4 at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course in Blacksburg, Va.

Both the men's and women's cross country teams will be in action at the NCAA South Regional in Tallahassee, Fla. on Nov. 11.

Tennessee fans can follow UT cross country on Twitter and Instagram @Vol_Track.