LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Centenary College is set to host the 2013 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference cross country championships on Saturday, November 2nd at the Clyde Fant Parkway Disc Golf Course in Shreveport, La. Official Site | Course Map
Trinity University picked up their first men's title in school history a season ago, edging out three time defending champion Colorado College, placing eight runners in the All-SCAC column as Head Coach Derick Lawrence was elected SCAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year. Trinity spring boarded to nationals with a runner-up finish at the South/Southeast Regional, along with placing five competitors in the All-Region column.
In 2013, The Tiger men won two team titles this season, both in San Antonio: the Alamo City Opener and the UTSA Ricardo Romo Classic. Trinity placed 10th at the Hanover Pre-Nationals at Hanover, Ind. Taylor Piske emerged as the winner of the Alamo City Opener and the UTSA Ricardo Romo Classic (non-Division I teams).
Colorado College is led by junior Nick Hall who has run 25:02 this season and is looking to retain his 2012 SCAC Cross Country title. The Tiger's No. 2 will either come from junior Will Richmond, who is having a breakthrough year, running a new personal record of 26:07 this season or junior Graham Frank, who boasts a 25:28 personal best, but has been out for the first part of the season due to injury. With a talented group of sophomores and freshmen fighting to round out the top five, the Tigers are going for a top three team finish as they look to dethrone Trinity.
Southwestern University, who finished third a year ago, has found a young flavor during the 2013 season being led by underclassmen, Alex Medrano and Charlie Hutchison. Medrano and Hutchison posted both of their top 6k times at the Southwestern Invitational with Medrano posting a time of 21:39.31 while Hutchison covered the course in 22:13.52. A pair of seniors have also helped the Pirates earn four top three finishes with Joe Sponsel and Philip Davis pushing the team. Sponsel finished with a best in the 5k at the Texas Lutheran Invitational with a time of 18:13.81 and holds the team's third best time in the 6k. Davis sits just behind Sponsel most of the season as the fourth runner for the Pirates posting a best 6k time at the SU Invitational with a time of 23:41.93.
The University of Dallas will compete for a second-time under head coach Matt Buchhorn after finishing fourth a season ago with an average time of 30:26.4 on the 8K course. Dallas' runners to watch in the 2013 SCAC Championship include freshmen Gabriel Marasigan and Kevin Doherty, sophomore Jack Grubner and junior Aaron French. In their only 8K race of 2013, Dallas placed sixth at the Centenary College of Louisiana meet held on Oct. 5. Marasigan paced the Crusaders with a 15th place time of 29:17 and Doherty ran to 20th at 30:15.6. Grubner and French rounded-out the team's top-four with respective times of 30:18 and 31:22.
Horacio D'Agostino has been the top runner this season for Centenary College as they return to form in 2013. D'Agostino's best finish came at the Presidential Run at Wiley College with a seventh place finish with a time of 20:49.00. D'Agostino finished 43rd at the Centenary Invitational with a time of 34:19.70 and added a 19th place finish at the Mook 5 with a time of 16:44.96. Gregory Simmons finished 53rd at the Centenary Invitational – the Gents second place finisher – with a time of 38:08.90.
Schreiner University will be led by sophomore Kevin Perez as the Mountaineers make their first appearance at the SCAC Championships. Perez has improved throughout his first two seasons, and has come on even more quickly this fall as he ran a season-best time of 28:59 in the 8k at the Angelo State Blue & Gold Classic. Other top runners for the Mountaineers will be sophomore Caleb McDaniel who topped his 8k at the Alamo City Duals with a 35:04 and freshman Connor Ver Schuur who ran a 8k best 33:50 in San Angelo.
