University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, November 15
Tallahassee, FL
8:30 AM
University of Tennessee
vs
NCAA South Regional Championships
Photo by: Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols Record Best XC Regional Finish In 10 Years
November 15, 2019 | Track & Field
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Tennessee women's cross country team took third place at the NCAA South Region Championships Friday morning, marking the best regional finish for the program since 2009. Sydney Seymour, Megan Murray and Katie Thronson each placed inside the top-20 for the Lady Vols to earn All-Region honors.
"Our women were brilliant today, just as they've been all season," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said following the meet. "We knew going into it that we wanted to secure the third-place finish, we got it and now we're under consideration for an at-large bid. As the results pour in today from across the country, we'll figure out how that happens."
On the men's side, junior Alex Crigger finished 18th to claim his first-career All-Region award. The Tennessee men placed 12th out of 24 Division I teams from Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.
"Alex Crigger pulled it off once again, running number one for the fourth time this season and earning All-Region honors. He missed it by one spot a year ago, so for him to break in and hit the top-20 today was outstanding for that young man."
WOMEN'S RACE RECAP: Entering the meet as the fourth-ranked team in the region, the Tennessee Lady Vols finished third with 144 points Friday morning. No. 12 Florida State and No. 27 Ole Miss claimed the top-two spots in the region to secure automatic bids to next week's national championships.
Sophomore standout Sydney Seymour was the first Lady Vol across the finish line with a 13th-place finish at 20:36.5, moving up 45 spots from a year ago. Team captains Megan Murray (20:41.3) and Katie Thronson (20:41.4) were close behind in 16th and 17th place, respectively, as three Tennessee women claimed All-Region honors for the first time since 2009.
The Lady Vols have had the same top-five finishers at every meet so far this season. Junior Abigail Smith and freshman Alyssa Wolf rounded out the scorers for UT once again, finishing half of a second apart at 51st and 52nd for the Big Orange.
"Sydney, Katie and Megan ran the entire race together and just competed extremely well," Sullivan said. "Then our four and five in Abigail and Alyssa were also just brilliant. They were side-by-side for the whole race and didn't let anybody catch them.
"Couldn't be more proud of the ladies today. Three All-Region athletes for the first time since 2009, and definitely a great vibe coming from that side of the program."
MEN'S RACE RECAP: Alex Crigger recorded his best regional performance on Friday with a time of 30:53.8 over the 10K course, beating his personal record by more than 70 seconds. The junior from Johnson City was tabbed with All-Region honors after missing the cut by one spot last season with a 26th-place finish.
Karl Thiessen (31:45.8) and Conner Hawkins (32:19.1) also recorded 10K personal-bests as the second and third Vols to cross the line, while John Elrod and Adam Johnston completed the top-five for Tennessee.
"The guys gave some great efforts, but we just weren't able to pull the team performance out of them today," Sullivan said. "Very frustrating, but overall I think it's just been one of those seasons with a very young squad and a lot of development that still needs to happen."
UP NEXT: Tennessee will hope to extend its postseason as the NCAA National Championship field will be announced Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. The national meet is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
A full breakdown of Tennessee's results at the NCAA South Region Championships can be viewed below. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee cross country and track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
Women's 6K (3rd of 27 - 144 points)
13. Sydney Seymour - 20:36.5
16. Megan Murray - 20:41.3
17. Katie Thronson - 20:41.4
51. Abigail Smith - 21:23.4
52. Alyssa Wolf - 21:23.9
---
74. Alaina Riordan - 21:48.9
115. Nicole Adams - 22:31.1
Men's 10K (12th of 24 - 320 points)
18. Alex Crigger - 30:53.8
52. Karl Thiessen - 31:45.8
76. Conner Hawkins - 32:19.1
79. John Elrod - 32:24.4
103. Adam Johnston - 32:53.3
---
104. Max Barbour - 32:56.4
119. Gashaw Duhamel - 33:15.1
"Our women were brilliant today, just as they've been all season," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said following the meet. "We knew going into it that we wanted to secure the third-place finish, we got it and now we're under consideration for an at-large bid. As the results pour in today from across the country, we'll figure out how that happens."
On the men's side, junior Alex Crigger finished 18th to claim his first-career All-Region award. The Tennessee men placed 12th out of 24 Division I teams from Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi.
"Alex Crigger pulled it off once again, running number one for the fourth time this season and earning All-Region honors. He missed it by one spot a year ago, so for him to break in and hit the top-20 today was outstanding for that young man."
WOMEN'S RACE RECAP: Entering the meet as the fourth-ranked team in the region, the Tennessee Lady Vols finished third with 144 points Friday morning. No. 12 Florida State and No. 27 Ole Miss claimed the top-two spots in the region to secure automatic bids to next week's national championships.
Sophomore standout Sydney Seymour was the first Lady Vol across the finish line with a 13th-place finish at 20:36.5, moving up 45 spots from a year ago. Team captains Megan Murray (20:41.3) and Katie Thronson (20:41.4) were close behind in 16th and 17th place, respectively, as three Tennessee women claimed All-Region honors for the first time since 2009.
The Lady Vols have had the same top-five finishers at every meet so far this season. Junior Abigail Smith and freshman Alyssa Wolf rounded out the scorers for UT once again, finishing half of a second apart at 51st and 52nd for the Big Orange.
"Sydney, Katie and Megan ran the entire race together and just competed extremely well," Sullivan said. "Then our four and five in Abigail and Alyssa were also just brilliant. They were side-by-side for the whole race and didn't let anybody catch them.
"Couldn't be more proud of the ladies today. Three All-Region athletes for the first time since 2009, and definitely a great vibe coming from that side of the program."
MEN'S RACE RECAP: Alex Crigger recorded his best regional performance on Friday with a time of 30:53.8 over the 10K course, beating his personal record by more than 70 seconds. The junior from Johnson City was tabbed with All-Region honors after missing the cut by one spot last season with a 26th-place finish.
Karl Thiessen (31:45.8) and Conner Hawkins (32:19.1) also recorded 10K personal-bests as the second and third Vols to cross the line, while John Elrod and Adam Johnston completed the top-five for Tennessee.
"The guys gave some great efforts, but we just weren't able to pull the team performance out of them today," Sullivan said. "Very frustrating, but overall I think it's just been one of those seasons with a very young squad and a lot of development that still needs to happen."
UP NEXT: Tennessee will hope to extend its postseason as the NCAA National Championship field will be announced Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. The national meet is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
A full breakdown of Tennessee's results at the NCAA South Region Championships can be viewed below. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee cross country and track & field, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter.
Women's 6K (3rd of 27 - 144 points)
13. Sydney Seymour - 20:36.5
16. Megan Murray - 20:41.3
17. Katie Thronson - 20:41.4
51. Abigail Smith - 21:23.4
52. Alyssa Wolf - 21:23.9
---
74. Alaina Riordan - 21:48.9
115. Nicole Adams - 22:31.1
Men's 10K (12th of 24 - 320 points)
18. Alex Crigger - 30:53.8
52. Karl Thiessen - 31:45.8
76. Conner Hawkins - 32:19.1
79. John Elrod - 32:24.4
103. Adam Johnston - 32:53.3
---
104. Max Barbour - 32:56.4
119. Gashaw Duhamel - 33:15.1
Players Mentioned
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XC/Middle Distance
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XC/Distance
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XC/Distance
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