Thirteen Tech runners set personal-bests at JSU Foothills Invitational
For the fourth consecutive meet Saturday, Tennessee Tech junior John Greene ran a personal-best and led the Golden Eagle men’s cross country team, this time at the JSU Foothills Invitational in Oxford, Ala.
OXFORD, Ala. – For the fourth consecutive meet Saturday, Tennessee Tech junior John Greene ran a personal-best and led the Golden Eagle men's cross country team, this time at the JSU Foothills Invitational in Oxford, Ala.
Greene's effort helped the Tech men to a sixth-place finish out of 10 teams while the Golden Eagle women finished in the top half of their field, coming in at fifth place out of 12 competing squads. In all, 13 Tech runners set new personal-bests. The meet, hosted by Jacksonville State, was held at Oxford Lake & Recreation Center, which will host the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Championships.
Greene ran the 8K course in 26:28.77 to finish fifth in a field of 94 runners. The Friendsville, Tenn., native beat his previous PR of 26:39, which he set a week ago at the TTU Invitational in Cookeville.
Rebecca Cline paced the Tech women with a 5K time of 19:29.61, placing 24th overall in a field of 111 runners. Leah Bradley was the second Golden Eagle finisher with a time of 19:54.71, setting a new personal record. Amelia McCoy was Tech's third runner in, also setting a PR and completing the course in 19:56.96. Beth Miller (20:01.38) and Kara Webb (20:12.14) rounded out TTU's top five, while Emily Williams (20:36.04) and Peri Winborne (20:40.22) completed the Golden Eagles' top seven. Webb's time shattered her previous collegiate personal-best, set at the TTU Invitational, by more than a minute.
On the men's side, Matt Bishop joined Greene in setting a personal-best and notching a top 10 finish, placing 10th with a time of 26:51.85. Mike Mahan was the third Tech finisher, coming in at 27:49.84, while Adam McLeod (28:11.31) and Sterling Smith (28:44.00) rounded out the Golden Eagle top five. Matt Pennycuff (29:15.37) and Charlie Jordan (29:38.65) completed Tech's top seven. Mahan, McLeod, Smith, Pennycuff and Jordan all set new PR times.
Other Tech runners to set personal records included Meghan O'Donaghue (20:46.12), Katie McCrary (21:49.97) and Kathryn Forbes (21:52.23).
On the men's side, Emory claimed first place with 85 points while Columbus State placed second with 93 points and Clayton State was third with 105. Jacksonville State (105), West Alabama (113), Tennessee Tech (116), SCAD-Atlanta (133), West Georgia (168), Birmingham Southern (229) and Alabama State-Montgomery (305) rounded out the field.
In the women's race, Emory took first with 32 points, Jacksonville State was second with 56 points and West Alabama finished third with 106 points. Alabama State-Montgomery (125), Tennessee Tech (143), Clayton State (157), West Georgia (166), Columbus State (171), SCAD-Atlanta (210), Gadsden State (333), Huntingdon (342) and Georgia Southwestern (344) rounded out the field.
Tech will run its final meet of the regular season next week, Oct. 15, at the Evansville Invitational. The race is set to begin at 11 a.m.
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