Thursday, October 20, 2005

TUSCULUM TO HOST 2005 FOOD LION SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum College will be hosting the 2005 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships, this Saturday at the Greene Valley Development Center. The 5,000-meter women's championship will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the 8,000-meter men's championship at 10 a.m. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend. Race fans are asked to enter Greene Valley through the main entrance located on East Andrew Johnson Highway (US 11E).

The Mars Hill College men’s cross country will be aiming for its eighth consecutive conference championship, while the defending champion Mars Hill women’s team is expected to face some tough competition.

The Mars Hill men are led by Daniel Amick, a two-time SAC Runner of the Week, and Jon Stoehr, also a Runner of the Week award winner. The Lions are the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region.

Wingate is the third-ranked men’s team in the region. The Bulldogs are led by sophomore Brandon DiBianca, who was Runner of the Week after he finished 29th in the prestigious Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic two weeks ago.

Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson-Newman are also ranked in the top 10 in the region. Jose Zavala and Adam Stewart are the top runners for the Bears, while Carson-Newman’s Ryan Althaus is coming off a win at the Belmont Abbey Invitational. Lenoir-Rhyne was victorious in its last trip to Greeneville as it captured the team title at last month's Tusculum Invitational. Zavala won the individual title in that race.

The host Pioneers will be led by two-time All-South Atlantic Conference runner Ross Lewis. Lewis, a senior from Morristown, Tenn., will be competing in his final home meet of his career.

Other top runners in the league include Presbyterian’s Matthew Elliott, a two-time Runner of the Week who won the Francis Marion Invitational; Newberry’s Jack Holden and Catawba’s Brad Heron.

The Mars Hill women have won six of the last seven conference titles, with Carson-Newman winning the 2002 title the last time the championship was held in Greeneville. The Lady Eagles enter the conference meet as the No. 1 team in the Southeast region, led by freshman standout Aubrey Morris, who has been named SAC Runner of the Week three times this season.

Wingate is the region's second-ranked team. Lindsay Boldt and Natalie Creech are the team leaders for the Bulldogs.

Mars Hill enters the conference championship as the third-ranked team in the region. Rachel Retallick is the top runner for the Lady Lions.

Catawba is ranked 10^th in the region. Rori Godsey and Kelly Phillips are the top runners for the Indians.

Other top individual runners include Lenoir-Rhyne’s Genna Eisenmann, a Runner of the Week; Presbyterian’s Amanda Garvin and Newberry’s Laura Banda. The Lenoir-Rhyne women won the team title at last month's Tusculum Invitational, led by Eisenmann's first-place finish.

Tusculum will be led by freshman Alicja Dembna, who has been the Pioneers top runner all season, including a second place showing at the TC Invitational. Last season's SAC Freshman Runner of the Year Jamie Dyke will also be competing for the Pioneers.

This marks the fourth time Tusculum has hosted the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships. Tusculum hosted the 2000, 2001 and 2002 SAC Championships.

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