Box Score Sherman, Texas - The Trinity men's cross country team registered a perfect score of 15 to capture the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, while the Tiger women's team finished second.
It marked the first perfect score in Tiger men's history, and the second in conference history. Trinity's women posted a mark of 41, and finished as runner-up behind defending champion Colorado College, with 25 points in the seven-team competition. The Tiger teams are led by second-year Head Coach Emily Daum, a Trinity alum who was an All-American in both cross country and track and field.
"Having the men get a perfect score was a lot of fun to watch," admitted Coach Daum. "They ran together as a group for the first few miles, which can definitely be a little intimidating. Slowly, the non-Trinity individuals fell off, leaving us to go 1-5. Having a perfect score for the first time in Trinity men's history is wonderful to be a part of. They've been working so hard this season, and it's great to see that pay off at the SCAC Championships."
Both teams placed second last year to Colorado College, at the meet held in Boerne, Texas. This was certainly Trinity's year on the men's side, though, defeating Colorado College's 50 points. Trinity won both the men's and women's SCAC titles in 2012 and 2013.
Coach Daum was no less proud of her second-place Tiger women's team: "The women put up a great fight against Colorado College. They held their position on the muddy course. Lexi had an especially strong race to finish in our top five for the first time this season, and Emma powered through the conditions to finish in the top three individually."
Trinity's men's runners also captured the top five positions in the 8k event, and placed nine athletes on on the All-SCAC Team. Senior
Taylor Piske won the title, clocking in at 27:37.8 at Stone Creek Golf Club. Piske was also named the SCAC Men's Runner of the Year.
"It was exciting to have Taylor get his first SCAC cross country title, and for Oliver to take Newcomer of the Year honors," revealed Coach Daum.
Sophomore Michael Erickson was the runner-up, crossing the finish line in 27:52.5. First-year Oliver Langselius, the SCAC Men's Freshman of the Year, posted a time of 28.04.6. Langselius is the third consecutive Trinity runner to earn Men's Freshman of the Year honors.
Junior Austin Brown took the No. 4 position, in 28:09.0, and sophomore Jacob Hammond was fifth, finishing 10 seconds behind his teammate. First-year Brian Wongchotigul placed ninth, and sophomore Daniel Henkes was 11th. Rounding out Trinity's All-SCAC honorees were first-year Elliot Blake, with a 12th-place performance, and senior Chris Soto, who came in at No. 13.
Five Tiger women secured All-SCAC accolades in the 6k event, paced by sophomore Emma MacEachern, who finished in third place at 24:29.6. First-year Molly McCullough placed seventh, at 24:56.0, and sophomore Melissa Whitman was eighth, coming in at 25.00.4. Sophomores Haley McFadden and Lexi Phelps placed 11th and 12th, respectively.
"I'm very happy with the performances by both the teams today," concluded Coach Daum. "The teams did great considering the prolonged travel yesterday, as well as the massive amount of rain the course received both yesterday and early this morning. They were in good spirits."
The Tiger teams will next compete November 14 at the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional at Winchester, Virginia.
