Feb. 16, 2013

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina cross country team held its team banquet for the 2012 season on Saturday evening at the Dodie Academic Enrichment Center. Gamecock head coach Stan Rosenthal announced individual award winners for his squad at the event.

Freshman standout Kayla Lampe, who led South Carolina in every meet this season, was named MVP. A native of Downingtown, Pa., Lampe turned in one of the most successful freshman seasons in school history. She earned USTFCCCA All-Southeast Region honors after finishing eighth at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, which is the highest finish ever by a Gamecock freshman at the event. She also received second team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team honors after racing to a 13th-place finish at the SEC Championships.

Freshmen Mary Fouse and Christine Kent were recognized as the Rookies of the Year. Fouse had the best average team placing as a freshman (fourth) and just missed making the SEC All-Freshman team as she finished 64th at the SEC Championships with a 6K PR of 22:04.86. Kent wrapped up the season with the second best average team placing for a freshman (fifth). She turned in a 6K PR at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships with a time of 22:53.24.

Fellow freshman Lannon McCoy was named Most Improved after lowering her 5K PR by nearly a minute with a time of 19:30.9 to finish 16th at the Gamecock Invitational.

Senior Chelsea France and sophomore Meredith Mill were presented with the Coaches Award for displaying outstanding team spirit, while junior captain Penny Boswell received the Leadership Award.

The Gamecocks celebrated one of the most successful seasons in recent school history at the banquet. South Carolina won the Gamecock Invitational to open the season. After being picked to finish 13th in the league in the preseason, the Gamecocks finished ninth at the SEC Championships. South Carolina carried the momentum into the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships to claim 10th place, which is the program’s best finish at the regional championship since 1994.

2012 South Carolina Cross Country Award Winners
MVP – Kayla Lampe
Most Improved – Lannon McCoy
Coaches Award – Meredith Mill
Coaches Award – Chelsea France
Rookie of the Year – Mary Fouse
Rookie of the Year – Christine Kent
Leadership Award – Penny Boswell
MVP XC Trainer – Kelcey Anderson