SMC Women's XC team finishes fourth in the country in half marathon

After finishing 17th in the country last week in Mew Mexico for the NJCAA Cross Country National Championships the SMC women's team returned home a little dissapointed. Knowing they had something to prove the women put on a show in Dallas, Ga and ended todays NJCAA Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) National Championships fourth in the country.. 

"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 head coach Mike Foley.

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 8^th in 1:31.24; Aisha Maddox, freshman (Irmo High, Columbia, S.C.); who placed 10^th in 1:31.52; and Megan Duncan, freshman, (White Knoll High, Columbia, S.C.), who placed 17^th in 1:35.03.

Top male finishers were: Austin Steagall, freshman (Gaffney High, Gaffney, S.C.), 6^th in 1:11.21; Brett Morley, sophomore (Landrum High, Landrum, S.C.), 16^th in 1:12.42; and Ben Grant, sophomore, (Georgetown High, Georgetown, S.C.), 35^th 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 5^th fastest runner in school history with his finish, and freshman Max Peter Bejmer became the 7^th 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 3^rd 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