Colorado College Sweeps SCAC Cross Country Meet
Competing against the largest conference field since 2011, Colorado College defended its men's cross country conference crown with a commanding 31-point victory Saturday morning while the Colorado College women won their fourth-straight and fifth SCAC women’s cross-country title in the last six years at South Bossier Park.
BOSSIER City, La. – Competing against the largest conference field since 2011, Colorado College defended its men's cross country conference crown with a commanding 31-point victory Saturday morning while the Colorado College women won their fourth-straight and fifth SCAC women's cross-country title in the last six years at South Bossier Park.
Philip Hughes was the Gents' top finisher as he placed 87th overall in a time of 30:58.01. Evan Halbert was 104th, finishing with a time of 36:53.99, Clayton Hancock was 107th (38:57.75), and Herman Pride finished 108th (41:38.00). The Gents did not record a team score and the Ladies did not have anyone compete.
See below for a complete meet recap courtesy of the SCAC:
The win marked the sixth consecutive conference title for the CC Tigers, the longest streak in the program's history since joining the conference prior to the 2006 season and the third-longest streak by one program in league history. Rhodes College won nine straight men's cross country championships from 1991 to 1999 and DePauw University posted a streak of seven consecutive championships from 2000-06. Complete Results | Official Website | Photo Album | Interview with Colorado College Head Coach Alex Nichols | Interview with SCAC Runner of the Year Will Shuflit
Trinity University finished second with 55 points and Southwestern University was third with 83 points, tying the program's best-ever finish at the event (2012 and 2022).
Colorado College had eight runners finish in the top 14 to earn all-SCAC honors, the most by one team since the CC Tigers squad also placed eight on the all- conference team at the 2021 championships, led by sophomore Will Shuflit who earned Runner of the Year honors after posting the second-fastest time in championships history (24:43.39), 22 seconds ahead of the runner-up. The victory continued the program's dominance at posting the event's top medalist, with Shuflit becoming the 16th individual winner over the last 19 championships to win wearing CC black and gold.
Shuflit is just the third runner in league history to earn SCAC Newcomer of the Year honors and win medalist honors the following season following on the heels of two former CC runners - Jackson Brainerd (2008 and 2009) and Nick Hall (2011 and 2012).
In addition to Shuflit, seven other CC men earned all-SCAC honors, including junior Axel Klomprens who finished third in 25:24.10. First-year Vincent Mangat, who finished fourth in 25:32.52, was the top finisher among first-year runners and was recognized as the league's Newcomer of the Year - the ninth CC runner to earn the award and third consecutive following Shuflit and Joe Bullock. Rounding out the CC all-conference contingent was junior Rabbit Barnes (seventh; 25:55.24), first-year Diego Escalante (ninth; 26:05.07), junior Huck Whittemore (12th; 26:19.70), junior Luc Santos (13th; 26:20.34) and junior Felix Battle (14th; 26:21.61). The all-SCAC honor is the third straight for Barnes.
The team title represents the 12th overall for the Colorado College men's cross country program (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2020/21, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024), breaking a tie with former SCAC member Rhodes College for the most men's cross country titles in conference history.
Leading the way for Trinity on Saturday was senior Will Salony who finished second with a time of 25:05.65 - the eighth fastest finish in meet history. It marked the fourth consecutive all-SCAC performance for Salony and the second time he has taken runner-up honors (2022) at the event. Junior Logan Nasky and senior Ryan Tresaugue also earned all-conference recognition as Nasky finished sixth (25:51.53) and Tresaugue was eighth (25:55.67). The honor is the second for Tresaugue who earned all-SCAC recognition in 2022.
Southwestern was paced by senior Brian Armijo, who picked up his second career all-SCAC finish, coming in 10th with a time of 26:13.32.
Behind an 11th-place finish by first-year Johnathan Castro (26:17.35), University of St. Thomas came in fourth in the team standings with 115 points.
Rounding out the team standings, McMurry University, led by sophomore Isaac Gonzalez (28th; 27:09.03) finished fifth in its inaugural appearance at the SCAC championship meet with 139 points and Texas Lutheran University placed sixth with 152 points. The Bulldogs were paced by first-year runner Miguel Hernandez who placed 27th with a time of 27:06.16. Concordia University (Texas), also making its first appearance at the SCAC championships, used a 32nd place finish from senior Thomas Hughes (27:18.05) to finish seventh with 235 points, and University of Dallas was eighth with 244 points. The Crusaders' first-year Alexander Bozhilov rounded out the all-SCAC team with a fifth place finish in 25:37.80.
Schreiner University finished ninth with 249 points, University of the Ozarks was 10th with 256 points and Centenary College did not score.
Complete Results | Official Website | Photo Album | Interview with Colorado College Head Coach Alex Nichols | Interview with SCAC Runner of the Year Will Shuflit
WOMEN'S RECAP:
With nine runners earning all-conference honors, including SCAC Women's Runner of the Year honors for senior Sydney Rankin, the Colorado College women won their fourth-straight and fifth SCAC women's cross-country title in the last six years Saturday morning at South Bossier Park in Bossier City, Louisiana. Complete Results | Official Website | Photo Album | Interview with Colorado College Head Coach Alex Nichols | Interview with SCAC Runner of the Year Sydney Rankin
Colorado College runners finished first through sixth as the Tigers posted just the fourth perfect score and the second-largest margin of victory in SCAC women's cross country championship meet history as they finished 48 points clear of second-place Trinity, 15-63. This year's title marks the eighth in CC's program history, which is second on the league's all-time list and just one behind the all-time SCAC record of the nine won by DePauw University from 1998 to 2009.
Rankin, who finished the 6k course on a muggy humid day in a time of 22:11.89, is now a three-time All-SCAC performer having earned seventh in 2022 and 12th in 2021. The senior from Portland, Ore., finished three seconds ahead of runner-up and fellow senior teammate Isabel Olson, who covered the course in 22:14.53.
Junior Alison Mueller-Hickler finished third for the second consecutive year in 22:22.95 and senior Britt Helgaas was fourth (22:24.58). Sophomore Charlie Flint placed fifth in 22:25.14 to close out the scoring for the Tigers.
Two-time SCAC champion Elliot Singer (sixth; 22:26.03), junior Brooktie Frogge (eighth; 22:41.68), junior Abby Goodfried (10th; 22:56.76) and junior Liz White (13th; 23:23.45) also earned all-SCAC honors.
Trinity had three runners earn all-SCAC honors, led by junior Gianna Keena, who finished ninth in a time of 22:51.05. Teammates first-year Charlotte Martin (23:15.76) and sophomore Cali Good (23:29.36) finished 12th and 14th, respectively. As the highest finishing first-year runner, Martin was named the league's Newcomer of the Year.
SCAC newcomer McMurry University finished in third place as the War Hawks used 15th and 16th place finishes from juniors Chloe McLellan (23:33.03) and Savanna Danner (23:41.35) to garner 102 points. Southwestern University came in fourth with 136 points, the program's best finish since 2020-21, and was paced by the all-SCAC performance of junior Breanna Steele, who finished seventh in a time of 22:32.99. Led by senior Samantha Hernandez who placed 27th in the 88-runner field (24:20.18), University of St. Thomas finished in fifth, just one point behind in fifth at 137. Texas Lutheran University finished sixth with 178 points with first-year Audrey Malbrough (40th; 25:16.56) crossing first for the Bulldogs. Rounding out the all-conference team, junior Chloe Weathers became the first all-SCAC runner in University of Ozarks history with her 11th place finish in 23:05.65 as the Eagles finished seventh in its SCAC championship meet debut with 191 points.
Rounding out the team standings, Schreiner University was eighth with 196 points, University of Dallas was ninth with 246 points and Concordia University (Texas) placed 10th in its inaugural SCAC meet with 252 points.
2024 Men's Cross Country - Team Standings
1. Colorado College - 24
2. Trinity University - 55
3. Southwestern University - 83
4. University of St. Thomas - 115
5. McMurry University - 139
6. Texas Lutheran University - 152
7. Concordia University (Texas) - 235
8. University of Dallas - 244
9. Schreiner University - 249
10. University of the Ozarks - 256
Centenary College - DNS
2024 Men's Cross Country All-Conference Team
1. Will Shuflit, Colorado College - 24:43.39
2. Will Salony, Trinity University - 25:05.65
3. Axel Klomparens, Colorado College - 25:24.10
4. Vincent Mangat, Colorado College - 25:32.52
5. Alexander Bozhilov, University of Dallas - 25:37.80
6. Logan Nasky, Trinity University - 25:51.53
7. Rabbit Barnes, Colorado College - 25:55.24
8. Ryan Tresaugue, Trinity University - 25:55.67
9. Diego Escalante, Colorado College - 26:05.07
10. Brian Armijo, Southwestern University - 26:13.32
11. Johnathan Castro, University of St. Thomas - 26:17.35
12. Huck Whittemore, Colorado College - 26:19.70
13. Luc Santos, Colorado College - 26:20.34
14. Felix Battle, Colorado College - 26:21.61
2024 Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Will Shuflit, Colorado College
2024 Men's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year
Vincent Mangat, Colorado College
2024 Men's Cross Country Elite 19 Recipient
Brian Armijo, Southwestern University
2024 Women's Cross Country - Team Standings
1. Colorado College - 15
2. Trinity University - 63
3. McMurry University - 102
4. Southwestern University - 136
5. University of St. Thomas - 137
6. Texas Lutheran University - 178
7. University of the Ozarks - 191
8. Schreiner University - 196
9. University of Dallas - 246
10. Concordia University (Texas) - 252
2024 Women's Cross Country All-Conference Team
1. Sydney Rankin, Colorado College - 22:11.89
2. Isabel Olson, Colorado College - 22:14.53
3. Alison Mueller-Hickler, Colorado College - 22:22.95
4. Britt Helgaas, Colorado College - 22:24.58
5. Charlie Flint, Colorado College - 22:25.14
6. Elliot Singer, Colorado College - 22:26.03
7. Breanna Steele, Southwestern University - 22:32.99
8. Brooktie Frogge, Colorado College - 22:41.68
9. Gianna Keena, Trinity University - 22:51.05
10. Abby Goodfried, Colorado College - 22:56.76
11. Chloe Weathers, University of the Ozarks - 23:05.65
12. Charlotte Martin, Trinity University - 23:15.76
13. Liz White, Colorado College - 23:23.45
14. Cali Good, Trinity University - 23:29.36
2024 Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Sydney Rankin, Colorado College
2024 Women's Cross Country Newcomer of the Year
Charlotte Martin, Trinity University
2024 Women's Cross Country Elite 19 Recipient
Liz White, Colorado College
Next up, SCAC teams will have the opportunity to compete at the NCAA Division III West Regional Meet on Saturday, Nov. 16, in Clackamas, Ore.
#GoCentenary #CTheOpportunity
