MOBILE, Ala. (10/29/21) – Brooms? Check.
The Arkansas State cross country teams needed to make sure they packed the brooms before leaving Jonesboro for the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships, because when Friday's races finished, it was a clean sweep with the Red Wolves taking both the men's and women's team titles. A-State's sweep marked the first cross country sweep in the league since former member Western Kentucky did so in 2011.
"I'm extremely proud of our programs," A-State head cross country coach Jesse Duvall said. "We came into today with a very specific race plan. Both the men and women executed the plan as well as I could have asked and showed a lot of heart in the last 1,000 meters. We still have the South Central Regional meet to focus on, but I am excited for the future of this distance program."
A-State's women began the day by winning their third-straight conference crown with
Pauline Meyer winning the individual championship in the 5K to lead three Red Wolves in the top 8. Meyer not only won, but did so in dominant fashion, winning by over 25 seconds with a school-record and meet-record time of 16:51.5. The Gronau-Epe, Germany, native led from start to finish, opening up a lead at the gun and maintaining it throughout the race.
Sophie Leathers placed third with a personal-best 17:38.1 while Elizabeth Martin finished eighth in 17:51.7. Sophia Oury placed 16th in 18:19.2, with Sarah Trammel close behind in 17th with a personal-best 18:21.2. Kayla Wade and Ellie Albrecht did not score, but posted top-20 results to round out the A-State corps, placing 18th and 20th respectively and Wade clocking a collegiate-best 18:23.2.
With the win, the A-State women become the first women's team to win three straight Sun Belt cross country titles since Western Kentucky won six straight from 2006-11. It also was the first time since 2012 (Georgia State) that the team champion also boasted the individual champion.
In the men's race, A-State's
Lexington Hilton started at the front and stayed there for much of the race, ultimately earning a runner-up finish in 24:01.0 behind South Alabama's Kirami Yego. Hilton led three Red Wolves in the top 5 and four in the top 8 as all five scorers placed 13
th or better.
Bennett Pascoe placed fourth overall with a time of 24:50.8 after crossing the 1K marker in 23rd, with Seth Waters following in fifth, running a personal-best 24:52.2. Coleman Wilson placed eighth in 24:56.9 while Nathan Herbst was the fifth A-State runner to finish the 8K, placing 13th in 25:07.9.
Dawson Mayberry placed 17th with a mark of 25:19.1 while Grayson Young rounded out the Red Wolves' seven runners with a 24th-place result, running a personal-best 26:00.1.
NEXT UP
A-State continues postseason action Friday, Nov. 12, traveling to Waco, Texas, for the NCAA South Central Regional Championships.
WOMEN'S 5K RESULTS
Team Results
1. Arkansas State – 45 points
2. Appalachian State – 73
3. UT Arlington – 77
4. ULM – 121
5. Coastal Carolina – 136
6. South Alabama – 162
7. Troy – 179
8. Georgia State – 197
9. Texas State – 233
10. Little Rock – 237
11. Louisiana – 288
12. Georgia Southern – 297
Individual Results
1. Pauline Meyer, 16:51.5*# (1 point) – 1st Team All-Sun Belt; Runner of the Year
3. Sophie Leathers, 17:38.1* (3 points) – 1st Team All-Sun Belt
8. Elizabeth Martin, 17:51.7 (8 points) – 2nd Team All-Sun Belt
16. Sophia Oury, 18:19.2^ (16 points)
17. Sarah Trammel, 18:21.2* (17 points)
18. Kayla Wade, 18:23.2*
20. Ellie Albrecht, 18:27.4
* - denotes personal best
^ - denotes season best
# - denotes meet record
MEN'S 8K RESULTS
Team Results
1. Arkansas State – 32 points
2. Appalachian State – 58
3. South Alabama – 69
4. Texas State – 101
5. UT Arlington – 134
6. Little Rock – 142
7. Coastal Carolina – 218
8. Troy – 234
9. Louisiana – 248
10. ULM - 254
Individual Results
2. Lexington Hilton, 24:01.0 (2 points) – 1st Team All-Sun Belt
4. Bennett Pascoe, 24:50.8^ (4 points) – 1st Team All-Sun Belt
5. Seth Waters, 24:52.2* (5 points) – 1st Team All-Sun Belt
8. Coleman Wilson, 24:56.9 (8 points) – 2nd Team All-Sun Belt
13. Nathan Herbst, 25:07.9 (13 points) – 3rd Team All-Sun Belt
17. Dawson Mayberry, 25:29.1
24. Grayson Young, 26:00.1*
* - denotes personal best
^ - denotes season best
SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the A-State track and field program, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team's Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.
