October 16, 2010

Running Bears' Both Have Record Runs at USC Upstate

 

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The men's and women's cross country teams from Mercer University both had outstanding efforts on Saturday at the USC Upstate Invitational, run at the Milliken Research Park course. The course is the same one which will be used for the Atlantic Sun Conference championships in two weeks.

Both squads broke the existing school records for team average and each did so for the second time this season. Both teams also placed third out of nine teams in their respective races on Saturday.

The women's team, which broke its 5K team record by more than a full second two weeks at the Greater Louisville Classic, obliterated that mark at the Upstate meet. The Bears shaved more than 13 seconds off of the team average mark by running a group average of 19:17.93 (the Louisville mark was 19:31.08). 10 of the 12 runners had season best times, while six produced personal records.

The MU men's team – which bested its team 8K record in the season opener at Georgia on Sept. 4 with a 26:35.82 – lopped off another five-plus seconds at Upstate with a team average of 26:30.30. The Bears' men's team had three PR's set in the event.

"I'm just pleased as punch as to how both teams are performing," MU head coach Ryan Bailey said. "We are progressing steadily and I believe we are primed to peak at conference.

"Everyone is competing with each other in a good way. They draw energy off of each other."

In the women's 5K race at USC Upstate, the Bears were led for the third-consecutive week by sophomore Kacie Niemann. Niemann finished 10^th in the overall race standings, posting a time of 18:50.47.

Mercer's Nos. 2-4 runners were all freshmen. Linda Batna finished in 11^th place – just 10 seconds back and narrowly missing going sub-19 minutes – in a personal record of 19:00.34 minutes. Fellow frosh Sammy Woller was 13^th in a personal best time of 19:22, while Lena Hamvas was 16^th overall by running a 19:33.  Junior Christina Kivi had the first-ever top-20 finish of her MU career with a 19^th place, thanks to her personal record run of 19:42 as Mercer's fifth finisher.

The next four runners for Bailey's Bears who will be a part of the nine member squad to run at the A-Sun championship meet, in order, are: Clara Densmore (20:07), Kylen Hughes (20:10), Alesa Webber (21:45) and senior Amalia Bugge (23:04). Webber and Bugge's times were both personal records.

Senior Jenna Jackson – the sprinter who became a distance runner to compete for the Bears – ran her final event for MU cross country, but went out with a bang. Jackson, who was trying to establish a PR and break the 24-minute barrier for the first time in her career did so with room to spare by completing the race in a time of 23:42, much to the delight of an emotional group of teammates cheering her on.

The Mercer men – running their fourth race of the season – had their fourth different team member lead the squad. This time it was freshman Sony Prosper running what was one of the fastest times ever accomplished a freshman Bears' runner for an 8K race, with his 26:08. Prosper placed ninth in the overall race standings.

The Bears had three other male runners – all sophomores - finish among the race's top-20.  Andrew Weems was 14^th overall at 26:14 and Jacob Law was right behind in 15^th place at 26:27. Chris Svidesskis was in 17^th place in a time of 26:27.

Mercer's top-5 finishers was rounded out by junior Marc Kushinka with a 27:23. The Bears' next four finishers, who will round out the men's travel party for the A-Sun championships in November, are Geremy Skeen (27:45), Kasib Abdullah (28:17), Nick Huguenard (28:40) and Taylor Garrett (29:20). Huguenard and Garrett each ran personal best times on Saturday, as well.

"The top five guys were testing the waters on the course," Bailey said of the men's race tactics. "We went out too fast and probably could have averaged faster, but the important race is in two weeks. I think we have lots of 'gas in the tank'."