Saturday, October 29, 2005

BUIES CREEK, N.C.—Kennesaw State won its first conference championship as a member of the Atlantic Sun claiming the Women’s Cross Country Championship Saturday morning at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C.

Campbell's Alicia Valtin set an Atlantic Sun Championship and Campbell Cross Country Course record finishing the 5K race in 16:56 to claim the individual title; Campbell finished in third place as a team.

Belmont finished in second place, which breaks a string of four-consecutive A-Sun Championships for the Bruins.

Kennesaw State was led by three All-Conference runners including a second place finish by Patrina Hayes, a fourth place finish by Erin Sutton and a fifth place finish by Magdalena Polko.

The Owls led the way with their three All-Conference nods. Belmont and Campbell each had two, while North Florida, Lipscomb and Jacksonville each had one.

The Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team is comprised of two runners from Belmont and one apiece from each Kennesaw State, Florida Atlantic and East Tennessee State.

Valtin is the first runner in the history of the Atlantic Sun Championships to finish under 17:00 minutes. The A-Sun record was held by former Camel Heather Lee who ran 17:00 at the 2001 A-Sun Championships in Atlanta, Ga.; Lee was also the course record holder when she ran 17:22 to win the 2003 A-Sun Championships. Valtin, a junior from nearby Sanford, N.C., finished 21 seconds ahead of the second place finisher Hayes from Kennesaw State.

Team Results:
1. Kennesaw State (42)
2. Belmont (94)
3. Campbell (111)
4. North Florida (117)
5. Florida Atlantic (127)
6. Lipscomb (148)
7. Jacksonville (158)
8. East Tennessee State (161)
9. Mercer (195)
10. Gardner-Webb (208)
11. Stetson (314)

All-Conference:
Alicia Valtin—Campbell
Patrina Hayes—Kennesaw State
Lauren Williams—Belmont
Erin Sutton—Kennesaw State
Magdalena Polko—Kennesaw State
Ruth Mick—Lipscomb
Tara Dressler—Campbell
Elizabeth Smothers—Belmont
Fallon Heffernan—Jacksonville
Sarah Coghlan—North Florida

All-Freshman:
Erin Sutton—Kennesaw State
Elodie Mouthon—Florida Atlantic
Heather Adkins—East Tennessee State
Valerie Detrick—Mercer
Laura Kaplan--Belmont

Women’s Coach of the Year:
Seth Sheridan, Belmont

Release courtesy of Campbell Athletic Communications

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