LAKELAND, Fla. — Gulf South Conference cross country teams put together a strong collective performance in the NCAA South Region Championship on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Lakeland, Fla., as Lee won both the men’s and women’s titles, while Mississippi College’s Jan Lukas Becker and Christian Brothers’ Johanna Wistokat won individual titles.
WOMEN’S RECAP
For the third-consecutive season, Lee won the South Region title posting 48 points, after scoring five runners in the top 20. As a result, the Lady Flames earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championship race scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3 in Seattle.
CBU’s Wistokat, this year’s GSC individual champion, also punched her ticket to Seattle after navigating the 6K course at a brisk time of 21:21.7. Also among the top five was Lee’s Aria Hawkins (21:30.1) and Liza Kellerman (21:39.1) as they finished second and fourth, respectively.
GSC TEAM RESULTS
1. Lee – 48
5. Mississippi College – 145
6. Alabama Huntsville – 147
10. West Florida – 325
12. Christian Brothers – 346
13. Union – 354
14. Montevallo – 385
16. Auburn Montgomery – 401
17. Valdosta State – 460
MEN’S RECAP
The Flames defended their regional crown, marking the third consecutive season a GSC won the regional title, after topping the field with 41 total points as five runners were among the top 12. Mississippi College placed second overall with 68 points, while Alabama Huntsville was fourth in the team standings with 97 points.
Individually, GSC runners accounted for 11 of the top 15 finishers, including the top four. Becker, this year’s GSC individual champion, led the way as he completed the 10K course with a time of 30:40.3, while UAH’s Sam Wilhelm (30:49.2), Lee’s Will Stone (30:53.6) and Montevallo’s Joe Leventry (30:54.1) followed.
Based on results, Lee and Mississippi College both earned automatic bids to the NCAA National Championship in the Emerald City. Leventry qualified as an individual, as did Wilhem, so long as UAH does not each an at-large team bid.
GSC TEAM RESULTS
1. Lee – 41
2. Mississippi College – 68
4. Alabama Huntsville – 97
8. Montevallo – 258
9. Valdosta State
11. Auburn Montgomery – 340
12. Christian Brothers – 359
15. West Florida – 396
17. Union – 565
Teams and individual runners who did not earn qualify automatically will now wait for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship committee to make its at-large selections. The full field will be announced via press release on Monday, Nov. 21 on NCAA.com.
NOTE: The top three teams from each regional meet will automatically advance to the championship finals. Ten at-large teams from throughout the country will be selected by the NCAA Division II Men's & Women's Cross Country Committee based on a number of criteria found on NCAA.org. The top two individuals who are not part of a qualifying team will also automatically advance to the championship meet as well as all individuals who finish in the top five at a regional meet and are not part of a qualifying team will automatically advance to the championship finals. An additional eight at-large individual selections will be selected by the committee.