Thronson Claims Individual Crown At UAB Blazer Classic

Friday, October 16

Birmingham, AL

8:45 AM

University of Tennessee

Blazer Classic

KNOXVILLE, TN - 2019.08.30 - Tennessee Tri-Star XC Challenge

Photo by: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

Thronson Claims Individual Crown At UAB Blazer Classic

October 16, 2020 | Track & Field

Women's Results Men's Results

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Tennessee junior Katie Thronson posted the second cross country victory of her collegiate career on Friday, placing first overall at the UAB Blazer Classic with a time of 20:13.15 over the six-kilometer course. The Spokane, Washington, native led the Lady Vols to a fifth-place team finish at the meet, as Tennessee finished ahead of four other SEC opponents.

On the men's side, junior Karl Thiessen led the Vols to a fourth-place team result as he clocked in at 23:41.68 for 11th place overall. The Tennessee men scored 110 points Friday morning, taking down SEC East foes Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt in the process.

"I'm very proud of the Vols' and Lady Vols' performances today, and there's a lot of great momentum moving forward," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "I asked them to have a day where we move the dial towards the SEC Championships, and they did just that."

WOMEN'S RACE RECAP: Thronson broke the tape for the Lady Vols in 20:13.15 for her fastest 6K since 2018. She topped runner-up Jenna Gearing from Kentucky by more than three seconds to secure her second-career individual cross country title.

"Katie Thronson has really just evolved as a Tennessee Lady Vol," Sullivan said. "She has taken her training up another notch, and the impact that she's had as a young person on our team is felt throughout. She played the race correctly, breaking away at the right place and the right time."

Lady Vol junior Sydney Seymour also put up a strong individual performance, earning her second consecutive top-3 finish with a third-place outing in Birmingham. Seymour clocked in at 20:17.57 over the 6K course.

"About 800 meters in, Sydney was back in the 20s and 30s but continued to move through the race and really put together a great effort," Sullivan said. "Couldn't be prouder of the dynamic duo that she and Katie are running right now."

Rounding out the Tennessee top-five were junior newcomer Olivia Janke (27th, 21:02.49) and the true freshman pair of Callie Tucker (48th, 21:33.59) and Kayla Gholar (51st, 21:38.67).

"Olivia Janke is coming into form," Sullivan said. "In another two weeks, I think we're going to get a great race from her at the SEC Championships. She's putting it together at the right time for us.

"Kayla Gholar and Callie Tucker, I just kept hollering at the two of them to rally. They were able to move through the last half of the race really well."

Defending NCAA champion Arkansas took home the team title with 42 points, followed by Georgia Tech (104), Florida State (115), Ole Miss (118) and Tennessee (121) in the top-five. The Lady Vols defeated four SEC opponents on Friday, including a close win over Kentucky who edged UT at the Live In Lou Classic two weeks ago.

"I think SECs could be really fun for the Lady Vols," Sullivan said. "We came up really close on Ole Miss, so our target moves past Kentucky and on to Ole Miss now. I believe Arkansas has a hold on the team championship, but it's going to be a good battle in the upper echelon. To hit second or third would be amazing, and if we can move ourselves into that type of racing, we've got a great stretch of racing ahead of us. We're going to put our best foot forward and see how well we can do."

MEN'S RACE RECAP: Karl Thiessen was the first Vol across the finish line for the first time since winning the Tennessee Tri-Star Challenge to open the 2019 campaign. The junior from Abingdon, Virginia, placed 11th in Birmingham with his time of 23:41.68, which was his first time cracking a sub-24 8K since the 2018 SEC Championships.

"I was really pleased with our men today, proud of their effort," Sullivan said. "Just a huge breakthrough race for Karl Thiessen. He's coming back for us competitive as all get out."

UT's second through seventh runners all finished within a 41-second span, as Georde Goodwyn was the No. 2 runner for the Vols (16th place, 24:07.48). Alex Crigger (20th, 24:22.86), Thomas Gardiner (27th, 24:36.49) and Conner Hawkins (39th, 24:46.03) rounded out the top-five scoring performances for the Big Orange on Friday.

"Georde Goodwyn is putting such a great drive together for his senior year," Sullivan said. "Crigger had a much better race and was very responsive, while Conner Hawkins rallied and kept alive there in our top five. We also have a slew of young guns who are just coming. Thomas Gardiner, Riley Buchholz, Mike Griffin, Canaan Anderson, they were all right there at the end, which is what you want to see in a cross country race."

Tennessee placed fourth as a team with 110 points, trailing three 2019 NCAA Championship qualifiers in Arkansas (29), Ole Miss (50) and Florida State (97). The Vols notably took down three SEC East foes, ahead of Florida (196), Kentucky (202) and Vanderbilt (203).

"Arkansas and Ole Miss, those are the two teams that are going to duel up front at the SEC meet," Sullivan said. "Everybody's gaming after that. As long as we can stay nice and tight and run hungry, run with a goal in mind, these guys are motivated to do well."

UP NEXT: Tennessee will begin postseason action Friday, October 30 as LSU hosts the 2020 SEC Cross Country Championships in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The conference meet will be televised on SEC Network, beginning at 9:05 a.m. CT with the women's 6,000m.

A complete breakdown of UT's results at the UAB Blazer Classic 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
Team Results
1. Arkansas - 42 points
2. Georgia Tech - 104 points
3. Florida State - 115 points
4. Ole Miss - 118 points
5. Tennessee - 121 points
6. Kentucky - 126 points
7. Middle Tennessee - 167 points
8. Vanderbilt - 221 points
9. Florida - 224 points
10. Mississippi State - 235 points

Individual Results
1. Katie Thronson - 20:13.15
3. Sydney Seymour - 20:17.57
27. Olivia Janke - 21:02.49
48. Callie Tucker - 21:33.59
51. Kayla Gholar - 21:38.67
--
81. Abigail Smith - 22:22.46
87. Msgana Araya - 22:34.24
101. Alaina Riordan - 22:58.79
103. Jette Davidson - 23:10.74
104. Avery Jackson - 23:21.57
106. Erin Spreen - 23:50.57
107. Sarah McCabe - 23:59.07

Men's 8K
Team Results
1. Arkansas - 29 points
2. Ole Miss - 50 points
3. Florida State - 97 points
4. Tennessee - 110 points
5. Georgia Tech - 138 points
6. Florida - 196 points
7. Middle Tennessee - 198 points
8. Kentucky - 202 points
9. Vanderbilt - 203 points

Individual Results
11. Karl Thiessen - 23:41.68
16. Georde Goodwyn - 24:07.48
20. Alex Crigger - 24:22.86
27. Thomas Gardiner - 24:36.49
39. Conner Hawkins - 24:46.03
--
40. Riley Buchholz - 24:47.09
41. Mike Griffin - 24:48.47
58. Canaan Anderson - 25:10.02
62. Will Mazur - 25:13.61
71. Matthew McMillan - 25:23.54
79. Adam Johnston - 25:50.33
82. Fuji Anday - 25:59.09