Seymour, Lady Vols Win FSU Women’s Open 6K

Friday, October 15

Tallahassee, FL

University of Tennessee

FSU Invite / Pre Nationals

October 15, 2021 | Track & Field

Men's Garnet Results Men's Open Results Women's Open Results

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Led by Sydney Seymour's first-place finish, the Lady Vol cross country team won the women's open 6k race Friday morning at the FSU Invite/Pre-Nationals meet.

The men's team competed in the Garnet 8k race to begin the day for the Vols and Lady Vols, finishing 25th overall.

WOMEN'S RACE RECAP
Tennessee captured the team win Friday in the women's open 6k race with three Lady Vols finishing inside the top-20. Seymour led the group as she finished first overall in a time of 20:41.9 and was followed by Olivia Janke in 12th in 21:16.8.

Brooke Dixon placed 18th as she crossed the line in 21:31.7. Sophomores Callie Tucker and Kayla Gholar rounded out the scoring group as they finished 29th and 31st, respectively. Tucker hit the finish line in 21:47.9, while Gholar ran the 6k in 21:50.9.

"We were excited about it," director of track & field and cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan said post-race. "Syd pulled off a great win and then beyond that, we had some great racing out of the next group of kids. It was competitive and tough and we ran well and earned a great win."

MEN'S RACE RECAP
The Vols ran in Friday's first race, the Garnet 8k, finishing 25th as a team. Karl Thiessen led the pack for UT as he placed 65th out of 299 runners. The senior closed out the 8k in 23:58.3.

Alex Crigger was 107th in 24:18.2, Eli Nahom placed 147th with a finishing time of 24:37.4, while Will Cronin placed 152nd in 24:40.3. Riley Buchholz closed out the scoring group in 207th as he crossed the line in 25:01.2.

"We didn't race particularly well on the men's side today," Alford-Sullivan said. "We took it in stride though and it is a tricky meet if you don't hit 100 percent on it. I am confident this group of men will clean up and battle for a top-five finish at the SEC Championships in a couple of weeks."

In the men's open race, Tim Thacker was the first to cross the line in 25:43.7 as he placed 69th. Matthew McMillan crossed next in 109th as he ran a 26:11.7 8k. Will Mazur ran the race in 26:23.4 to finish 127th and Devin Sullivan closed out the open race group in 26:53.7, finishing 161st.

FINAL WORD FROM ALFORD-SULLIVAN

On Olivia Janke continuing to improve each week…
"Olivia has really stepped up and we asked her to take a step forward with Katie Thronson out of the lineup and close that gap up on Sydney and she did that. She ran very competitively and her job was to break up the Texas front duo and she did that as well. She executed a beautiful race and she is getting better every single day."

On preparing for the SEC Championships…
"It is really two different mentalities. Our women need to continue this momentum, we had a great outing at Minnesota and now a great outing here in Florida. They have to continue this momentum and look to be a spoiler at the SEC Championships. It's going to be a great race between the top-five programs and we'll be ready to roll.

"On the other side, our men have to shake it off. It hasn't been the perfect season and we really don't feel like we've hit our stride yet. They can look for a top-five finish as well. Very different environments for either team and we need to have some great leadership and great opportunity to maximize what we're capable of this season."

UP NEXT
The SEC Cross Country Championships are next on the calendar for the Vols and Lady Vols as they prepare for the postseason. The 2021 SEC Championships will be held Friday, Oct. 29 in Columbia, Missouri.

RESULTS
Men's Garnet 8k (667 points – 25th of 40)
65. Karl Thiessen – 23:58.3
107. Alex Crigger – 24:18.2
147. Eli Nahom – 24:37.4
152. Will Cronin – 24:40.3
207. Riley Buchholz – 25:01.2
--
237. Canaan Anderson – 25:20.2
246. Tom Gardiner – 25:27.1
252. Connor Hawkins – 25:33.3

Women's Open 6k (67 points – 1st of 29)
1. Sydney Seymour – 20:41.9
12. Olivia Janke – 21:16.8
18. Brooke Dixon – 21:31.7
29. Callie Tucker – 21:47.9
31. Kayla Gholar – 21:50.9
--
32. Rachel Sutliff – 21:50.9
56. Jasmine Fehr – 22:20.0
83. Sarah McCabe – 22:37.0
89. Ainsley Cooper – 22:39.1
125. Avery Jackson – 23:10.0
184. Kathleen Maley – 24:09.6

Men's Open 8k (No team place)
69. Tim Thacker – 25:43.7
109. Matthew McMillan – 26:11.7
127. Will Mazur – 26:23.4
161. Devin Sullivan – 26:53.7
DNF. Fuji Anday