Thiessen, Seymour Post Top-10 Outings At FSU Winter XC Classic

Friday, February 5

Tallahassee, FL

University of Tennessee

FSU Winter XC Classic

Photo by: Brian Woolston

Thiessen, Seymour Post Top-10 Outings At FSU Winter XC Classic

February 05, 2021 | Track & Field

Results

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Tennessee cross country program had a pair of athletes record top-10 individual finishes Friday morning, as the Vols and Lady Vols returned to cross country competition at the Apalachee Regional Park for Florida State's Winter XC Classic.

"With this strange year that's unfolding in our three sports… when the NCAA decided to hold the cross country championships in the winter, we knew that we had some opportunities to potentially get some individuals through," head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said following the meet. "We had our sights set on running this race, going against some very high caliber competitors."

On the men's side, junior Karl Thiessen led the Vols for the third meet in a row as he crossed the finish line 9th overall in Tallahassee. It was Thiessen's first time placing inside the top-10 at a cross country meet since winning the Tennessee Tri-Star Challenge on August 30, 2019. With a time of 23:47.1 on Friday, the Abingdon, Virginia, native turned in the third sub-24:00 8K race of his career.

"Karl stuck up front the whole way today and ended up in 9th," Sullivan said. "It was very difficult conditions, about 68 degrees with full humidity. It had rained all night, and it was just awful out there. On top of that, the race went out really fast. Karl really put himself in it, controlled himself through the middle and was able to kick it down and close hard in the final 1,000 meters. He really put himself in a great spot to be considered for an at-large NCAA berth."

Lady Vol junior Sydney Seymour carried her momentum from indoor track to cross country, leading her squad with a 9th-place individual finish at FSU. After running the fastest indoor 3K and 5K for the Lady Vols since 2016 earlier this year, the Seven Hills, Ohio, native clocked in at 20:33.4 over the 6K course on Friday. The performance was good for Seymour's third-straight top-10 XC finish and her second outing of the season as the Lady Vols' top runner.

"Sydney stepped up as a top-10 runner, finishing off the race really well," Sullivan said. "I was very pleased with her. Again, it was super tough conditions. Just a big change from what we've been used to in Knoxville. Sydney just continues to thrive in 2021. We'll probably put her on ice until the SEC Indoor Championships, race the 3K-5K double at conference and see if an at-large bid comes her way."

MEN'S RACE RECAP: In a field that featured seven nationally ranked teams, the Vols finished 11th at the FSU Winter XC Classic with 283 points. No. 12 Stanford (67 points) took home the Garnet 8K team title, followed by No. 6 Iowa State (98), No. 13 Colorado (98), No. 27 Utah State (160) and No. 19 Wake Forest (184) to round out the top five.

Thiessen completed the 8K course in 23:47.1 for his third-straight meet as the Vols' No. 1 finisher. East Tennessee natives Georde Goodwyn (Knoxville) and Alex Crigger (Johnson City) were the next two across the finish line for UT, placing 47th and 56th respectively with times of 24:25.6 and 24:31.8.

"The men's team had some strong performances today," Sullivan said. "Crigger, once again, was just a reliable soul for us. Same with Georde, very reliable. Those two came through. Some great experience for the others as well."

Mike Griffin and Max Barbour rounded out the Tennessee top-five on Friday, as both runners scored for the first time this season. Griffin, a freshman from Wrentham, Massachusetts, placed 88th over in 25:08.3, while Barbour, a senior from Baltimore, clocked in at 25:16.0 for 94th place.

WOMEN'S RACE RECAP: The Lady Vols ended up 10th as a team in Tallahassee, putting up 264 points in the women's Garnet 6K. Tennessee notably finished ahead of nationally ranked No. 29 Boston College, who placed 11th as a team with 279 points.

No. 8 Colorado won the meet with 72 points, followed by No. 4 Stanford (77), No. 23 Duke (128), Oklahoma State (181) and No. 20 Iowa State (189) to complete the top five women's squads in Tallahassee.

Seymour paced the Lady Vols for the second time this season with her third-straight top-10 individual finish, placing 9th in 20:33.4. Junior runners Katie Thronson (20:53.1) and Olivia Janke (21:26.1) tabbed 25th and 49th, respectively, as the second and third runners across for the Big Orange.

"On the women's side, we think both Sydney and Katie have a great shot at earning an at-large bid," Sullivan said. "This was just a great opportunity to come down here and compete at our hardest. Katie continues to gain back her fitness, as we lost a ton of training time due to setbacks in the fall. She kept her bid alive today, in my opinion."

Rounding out the Tennessee top five on the women's side were senior Abigail Smith (22:08.6) and freshman Callie Tucker (21:33.59), each recording top-100 finishes at 92nd and 98th individually.

UP NEXT: With NCAA Championship at-large selections to be made on March 7, the Vols and Lady Vols will have one more opportunity to build their resume at the FSU XC Last Chance Meet on Friday, March 5 in Tallahassee. The NCAA Cross Country Championships are set for Monday, March 15 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee cross country, follow @Vol_Track on Twitter and Instagram.

Men's Garnet 8K
Team Results
1. No. 12 Stanford - 67 points
t2. No. 6 Iowa State - 98 points
t2. No. 13 Colorado - 98 points
4. No. 27 Utah State - 160 points
5. No. 19 Wake Forest - 184 points
6. Duke - 190 points
7. Florida State - 196 points
8. No. 30 Syracuse - 202 points
9. No. 22 Southern Utah - 212 points
10. Cal Baptist - 246 points
11. Tennessee - 283 points
12. Connecticut - 318 points
13. North Florida - 332 points
14. Eastern Kentucky - 341 points
15. Kansas - 370 points
16. South Dakota State - 448 points
17. Liberty - 454 points
18. UT Martin - 471 points
19. Charleston Southern - 520 points
20. Florida - 525 points

UT Individual Results
9. Karl Thiessen - 23:47.1
47. Georde Goodwyn - 24:25.6
56. Alex Crigger - 24:31.8
88. Mike Griffin - 25:08.3
94. Max Barbour - 25:16.0
117. Conner Hawkins - 25:50.7
134. Riley Buchholz - 26:24.9

Women's Garnet 6K
Team Results
1. No. 8 Colorado - 72 points
2. No. 4 Stanford - 77 points
3. No. 23 Duke - 128 points
4. Oklahoma State - 181 points
5. No. 20 Iowa State - 189 points
6. West Virginia - 200 points
7. Liberty - 207 points
8. Notre Dame - 209 points
9. Utah State - 235 points
10. Tennessee - 264 points
11. No. 29 Boston College - 279 points
12. Cal Baptist - 281 points
13. Syracuse - 298 points
14. Connecticut - 305 points
15. Florida - 320 points
16. Miami (Ohio) - 336 points
17. Southern Utah - 360 points
18. Eastern Kentucky - 503 points

UT Individual Results
9. Sydney Seymour - 20:33.4
25. Katie Thronson - 20:53.1
49. Olivia Janke - 21:26.1
92. Abigail Smith - 22:08.6
98. Callie Tucker - 22:14.4
105. Msgana Araya - 22:24.2