Date Posted: 11/12/2005

Gainesville, Fla. – The Belmont and ETSU men's cross country teams both finished in the top-15 at Saturday’s NCAA South Regional hosted by the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, marking the final race for the season.

The Atlantic Sun Champion Bruins finished 11th out of 20 teams and posted a team score of 305. The overall meet winner was Alabama with 40 points. Three Bruins finished among the top-60. Senior Dan Matena was BU’s top finisher with a 56th place finish and a time of 32:41.13. All-Conference and All-Freshman teamer Caleb Swartz finished one spot behind in 57th with a time of 32:42.39. All-Conference senior Adam Bishop was one spot behind Swartz in 58th with a time of 32:44.64.

Other Belmont finishers included: All-Conference junior Brad Polley (83rd, 33:31.70), freshman Ben McGlothlin (89th, 33:43.88), sophomore Kevin Stone (101st, 34:03.32), and freshman Daniel Jones (34:09.95).

Jordan Ladd led the Bucs with a 48th place finish as ETSU finished just behind Belmont in 12th place with a total of 314 points.

Ladd finished the 10k course in 32:15.62, and Michael Deren was the second Buccaneer to cross the finish line, completing the race in 59th place with a time of 32:48.78. Jeff Crane and Bernard Towett finished 66th an 68th, respectively. Crane closed with a time of 33:03.82, and Towett came in at 33:07.03. Joshua Hicks rounded out the ETSU scoring, finishing 109th in 34:20.31. Senior Peter Dalton, competing in his final collegiate meet, finished 115th with a time of 34:34.40. Also competing for the Buccaneers was Abdi Chepkwony, who finished 124th in 35:10.68. Crane, Towett, Hicks and Dalton were All-Conference selections, while Chepkwony was an All-Freshman choice.

2005 NCAA South Regional Results -- Gainesville, Fla.
Team Results (10K)
1. Alabama, 40
2. Florida State, 47
3. Florida, 77
4. Tennessee, 100
5. Georgia, 147
6. Auburn, 175
7. Georgia State, 235
8. Tennessee-Chattanooga, 247
9. Mississippi State, 269
10. Miami, 302
11. Belmont, 305
12. East Tennessee State, 314
13. South Florida, 335
14. Georgia Tech, 390
15. UCF, 413
16. Mississippi, 419
17. Samford, 434
18. Austin Peay, 479
19. Birmingham-Southern, 514
20. Vanderbilt, 519

Individual Results
48. Jordan Ladd, ETSU -- 32:15.62
56. Dan Matena, Belmont -- 32:41.13
57. Caleb Swartz, Belmont -- 32:42.39
58. Adam Bishop, Belmont -- 32:44.64
59. Michael Deren, ETSU -- 32:48.78
66. Jeff Crane, ETSU -- 33:03.82
68. Bernard Towett, ETSU -- 33:07.03
83. Brad Polley, Belmont -- 33:31.70
89. Ben McGlothlin, Belmont -- 33:43.88
101. Kevin Stone, Belmont -- 34:03.32
105. Daniel Jones, Belmont -- 34:09.95
109. Joshua Hicks, ETSU -- 34:20.31
115. Peter Dalton, ETSU -- 34:34.40
124. Abdi Chepkowny, ETSU -- 35:10.68