Oct. 15, 2013

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A historic weekend for the South Carolina cross country team led to a sweep of the Southeastern Conference weekly awards for women, as junior Meredith Mill took the SEC Cross Country Women’s Runner of the Week award and Mary Reiser claimed the Women’s Freshman Runner of the Week, the league office announced today.

Mill set a new South Carolina 5K cross country record in winning the collegiate division of the Royal Cross Country Challenge in Charlotte, N.C. Her time of 17:03.6, the new standard for the Gamecocks, ranks fourth in the SEC this year, and topped her previous best 5K by nearly 1:40. The Ellicott City, Md., junior has led South Carolina in her four races this fall.

The women’s freshman of the week, Reiser finished fifth overall and third among collegians in the same race held at McAlpine Creek Park with a time of 17:39.0. That time is the best for a true freshman in South Carolina history and the sixth-fastest clocking for any Gamecock women’s runner in a cross country 5K. From Annapolis, Md., Reiser has finished in the top three all year, including second in her last three races.

Mill is the second Gamecock ever to take the overall SEC weekly nod for women, joining Jenny Lake’s 2002 honoring. Reiser is the fourth Gamecock female to win the freshman award, with Beatrice Biwott, Liz Locke and Kayla Lampe (twice) also receiving the accolades.

Texas A&M claimed both men’s awards this week, with Jake Roberts taking the men’s overall award and Alex Reba garnering the men’s freshman certificate.

South Carolina’s team heads to the Indiana State Pre-National Invitational on Sat., Oct. 19 for the final regular-season competition this fall.