Tennessee Men Place 5th, Women Finish 10th at SEC XC Championships

October 27, 2017 | Track & Field

SEC Men's 8K Results SEC Women's 6K Results Photo Gallery

Zach Long finished 10th to lead the UT men and earn All-SEC honors; Megan Murray led the UT women, finishing 21st

ATHENS, Ga. -- Tennessee placed fifth in the men's 8K and 10th in the women's 6K on Friday at the 2017 SEC Cross Country Championships at UGA Golf Course.

2017 SEC Cross Country Championships

Men's 8K Race

Tennessee Men (5th of 12)

10. Zach Long, 24:06.20
19. Wesley Robinson, 24:30.70
25. John Elrod, 24:40.30
30. Alex Crigger, 24:48.80
42. Gashaw Duhamel, 25:10.40
46. Andre Hillsman, 25:11.30
50. Brad Swiney, 25:15.90
76. Conner Hawkins, 25:48.20
96. Drew Kelley, 26:32.60
97. Adam Johnston, 26:33.30

Women's 6K Race

Tennessee Women (10th of 14)

21. Megan Murray, 21:08.20
22. Niamh Schumacher, 21:09.4
47. Abigail Smith, 21:51.10
73. Peighton Meske, 22:24.80
82. Rachel Ware, 22:35.00
98. Taylor Luthringer, 23:04.00
118. Cassidy Giles, 24:01.80
127. Emma Reed, 24:53.30

Arkansas took home the men's team title with 41 points and Alabama (81 points), Ole Miss (82 points), Kentucky (110) and Tennessee (125) rounded out the top five squads. The Vols' fifth-place showing is the team's best since tying for fifth in 2011. Alabama junior Vincent Kiprop won the men's individual title, clocking in at 23:15.40.

Zach Long led the UT men with a 10th-place finish, clocking in at 24:06.20 to earn All-SEC honors. Fellow junior Wesley Robinson placed 19th at 24:30.70 and freshman John Elrod was not far behind, finishing 25th in 24:40.30 and giving the Vols three top 25 finishers for the first time since 2008. Freshman Alex Crigger placed 30th in 24:48.80 and sophomore Gashaw Duhamel rounded out the Vols' scoring in 42nd at 25:10.40. Junior Andre Hillsman was 46th in 25:11.30, sophomore Brad Swiney was 50th in 25:15.90, freshman Conner Hawkins finished 76th in 25:48.20, junior Drew Kelley finished 96th in 26:32.60 and freshman Adam Johnston finished 97th in 26:33.30.

Elrod and Crigger were fourth and fifth, respectively, among freshmen in the men's 8K, earning SEC All-Freshman honors.

"We had a tremendous men's competition," Tennessee director of track and field/cross country Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "This team was definitely together, cool, calm, collected, ready to race and put it all out there. The race went extremely fast through the first mile, which set it into motion to be a very tough course and very tough competition. Georgia did a great job hosting this and putting on a great meet. Our men were able to keep coming and keep coming and we were able to knock of a bunch of teams in the last 1,000 to 2,000 meters. Our guys just really competed hard.

"I couldn't be prouder of Zach Long, fighting for a top 10 finish and he pulled it off. Wesley Robinson probably had the breakthrough race of the year, finishing 19th and giving us a tremendous second-place runner. Both John Elrod and Alex Crigger make the All-Freshman team and both of them just came up huge for the Vols. Gashaw Duhamel came on in the last mile to be runner number five. It was just a great team effort out there today. I couldn't be more proud of them. Great competition out of Kentucky to hold onto fourth. Congratulations to Arkansas as champions. It was just outstanding."

Arkansas took home the SEC women's title with 35 points and Georgia (88 points), Ole Miss (103), Missouri (164) and Mississippi State (167) rounded out the top five. UT's 10th-place finish is its best since placing eighth in 2013. Missouri senior Karissa Schweizer won the women's individual title, finishing in 19:36.30.

Sophomore Megan Murray led the Tennessee women, finishing 21st at 21:08.20. Freshman Niamh Schumacher was right behind her, placing 22nd in 21:09.40. Fellow UT freshman Abigail Smith placed 47th in 21:51.10. Junior Peighton Meske was 73rd in 22:24.80 and freshman Rachel Ware rounded out UT's top five, finishing 82nd in 22:35.00. Freshman Taylor Luthringer finished 98th in 23:04.30, junior Cassidy Giles finished 118th in 24:01.10 and junior Emma Reed finished 127th in 24:53.30.

Schumacher was fifth among freshmen in the women's 6K and earned SEC All-Freshman honors.

"On the women's side, Megan Murray has been our number one all year and held onto that," Alford-Sullivan said. "She went out in an aggressive race. She was out really fast through the first mile at about 5:10 and got herself into a little bit of trouble, but held it together. Niamh Schumacher came on, worked through the entire race, got up on Megan's side and, just like they do every time in practice, they ran side by side, stride for stride. So we are very proud of that. Niamh also makes the All-Freshman team for the women. Our women moved from last place last year into the top 10, which is what we wanted."

Tennessee will next compete in the 2017 NCAA South Regional Championships on Nov. 10 at Harry Pritchett Running Course in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"We are thrilled with our experience down here," Alford-Sullivan said. "We are going to get back and get recovered and get after it for the regional championship in two weeks at the University of Alabama. We are very proud of the Vols today."