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Pioneers 5th in the Nation
Posted: Nov 19, 2011

Pioneers 5th in the Nation

After a 7th place finish in the NJCAA Cross Country National Championship last week in New Mexico, the Pioneer felt they had a little more to prove this week. Traveling for the second straight weekend, the Pioneers headed south this time to Dallas, GA for the NJCAA Half-Marathon National Championships.

"This morning was the best day in the history of SMC cross country/track/half marathon in terms of combined  finishes for our men's and women's teams." stated Mike Foley. Our ladies finished 4th in the country at the half marathon (13.1 miles) held in Dallas, Ga., and along the Silver Comet Rail Trail. Our men finished 5th as a team." 

Combined, we had 5 All Americans today. Men: Austin Steagall: NJCAA All American and NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association All American. Brett Morley: NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association All American. Eliza Parker: NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association All American; Aisha Maddox: NJCAA Cross Country Coaches Association All American. 

Top female finishers were: Eliza Parker, sophomore (Oswego High, Oswego, N.Y.), who placed 8th in 1:31.24; Aisha Maddox, freshman (Irmo High, Columbia, S.C.); who placed 10th in 1:31.52; and Megan Duncan, freshman, (White Knoll High, Columbia, S.C.), who placed 17th in 1:35.03. 

Top male finishers were: Austin Steagall, freshman (Gaffney High, Gaffney, S.C.), 6th in 1:11.21; Brett Morley, sophomore (Landrum High, Landrum, S.C.), 16th in 1:12.42; and Ben Grant, sophomore, (Georgetown High, Georgetown, S.C.), 35th in 1:14.59. 

"This was the best combined team finish in school history," said Coach Mike Foley. "Both teams ran very strong. 

"I'm especially proud of Austin as he bounced back after a rough day at the cross country national championships last weekend in New Mexico. And Eliza, who missed 10 weeks of training this fall due to pernicious anemia. Her run was especially amazing as she has only been back running for less than a month."

 Austin Steagall broke the SMC men's half marathon record of 1:12.55 by more than a minute and a half and Brett Morley also dipped below the previous record. Ben Grant became the 5th fastest runner in school history with his finish, and freshman Max Peter Bejmer became the 7th fastest male in school history.

 The fourth place finish by the women is the fifth time in the last seven years that the women have placed in the Top 5 in the nation in the half marathon. The best team finish came in 2007 when Becca Prichard became the first -- and only -- SMC student athlete to win an individual national title in any sport as she led the team to a 3rd place finish.

 

The fifth place finish by the men is the best in school history. The men have placed in the Top 10 in the nation six of the last seven years at the National Championship.

 

Men's results: www.ptgrouponline.com/Results/2011/XC/Men%20Results%20with%20Team%20Scores%20-%20Half%20Marathon.pdf

Women's results: www.ptgrouponline.com/Results/2011/XC/Women%20Results%20with%20Team%20Scores%20-%20Half%20Marathon.pdf

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