The Lady Flames pose with the NCAA Division II South Region Championship trophy.
Celine Ritter and Chloe Flora were the top two individuals across the finish line as the Lee University women’s cross country team claimed its first NCAA Division II South Region Championship. The Flames finished second in the men’s 10000-meter race.
The No. 8 Lady Flames placed all seven of its runners in the top 30 on their way to accumulating 41 points. No. 19 Tampa finished second with 62 points and Saint Leo was third (101) to earn the final automatic bid to the NCAA DII National Championships in Sacramento, California.
“I’m just really proud of the girls,” said Lee head coach Caleb Morgan.
“It’s one thing to come in, be ranked No. 1 and go out there and execute, it’s a lot of pressure. I’m most proud that they handled the pressure well.”
Ritter stopped the clock at 21:41.85 to lead the field of 125 runners in the 6000-meter race. Flora was right behind with a time of 21:45.77.
Charlee Boxall was ninth overall with a mark of 22:28.36. Toni Moore was 14th (22:43.06) and Becca Umbarger finished 18th (22:51.40) to complete Lee’s first five.
Emma Clark and Olivia McLain were the final two runners for the Lady Flames. Clark crossed the line at 23:12.28 for 24th. McLain completed the course at 23:20.48 for 30th.
“We’ve been trying to win this for a couple years and to actually do that is huge, especially as a senior,” said Boxall. “The culture on the team is incredible. Everyone just tries to run for each other and do their best for each other.”
The No. 12 Flames placed all seven of its runners in the top 35 on their way to amassing 77 points. No. 9 Alabama Huntsville finished first with 52 points and Saint Leo was third (95) to earn the final automatic bid.
“I think we competed the whole way,” said Morgan about the Lee men. “That was one thing two weeks ago I don’t think we competed the whole race. We really asserted ourselves, were up in the front and I felt like everyone ran hard the whole way. You really can’t be unhappy with the result and I felt we did the best that we could. The main thing is getting through to nationals and that’s what we did today.”
Thomas Kelton and Ben Tabor were the first two Lee runners across the finish line. Kelton stopped the clock at 32:30.32 for seventh and Tabor was eighth (32:33.11).
Mathew Chesum of Benedict College was the individual winner. He was the first of 129 finishers with a mark of 31:48.83.
Casey Guthery’s time of 32:45.41 was good for 12th. Caleb Eagleson placed 23rd (33:12.17) and Adan Rodriguez completed the race at 33:21.05 (27th) to complete Lee’s top five.
Will Stone and Moises Ponce were the final two Flames. Stone was 29th overall (33:25.96) and Ponce crossed the line in 35th (33:35.03).
The DII Championships will be run on the Arcade Creek Cross Country Course at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex on November 23.