Gamecocks Open 2016 with Win in Carolina Challenge

Sept. 3, 2016

Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, S.C. – On a beautiful day after the rains of Friday, South Carolina started the 2016 cross country season with a solid win in the Division I portion of the Carolina Challenge, a meet hosted by the Gamecocks at the Sandhill REC 5K course.

The Gamecocks took the title with 29 points, besting Winthrop’s 53 in second. Senior Mary Reiser finished second among Division I competitors, clocking a 18:39.67 in the season’s first race, just three seconds in back of Winthrop’s Harper Henson (18:36.44). For Reiser, the Gamecocks’ top returner, that’s a 12-second improvement from last year’s lidlifter at home.

Freshman Anna Kathryn Stoddard led the next three Gamecocks who placed 11-13 overall, posting an 18:59.90 time. Redshirt junior Martha McCoy (19:04.30) edged out sophomore Allison Mueller (19:05.02). Both improved their time from last year’s opener by over 40 seconds on the new home course. Freshman Leah Ford rounded out the scoring five in 16th (19:22.77), while fellow rookies Emily Crounse (19:38.00) and Sarah-Sims McGrath (19:40.14) finished in 19th and 21st around junior Allie Sprague in 20th (19:38.85).

“I thought the freshmen that ran well for us ran very well,” said assistant track coach for distance Andrew Allden said. “I think the biggest shock for them is that the race usually goes out faster, and there are more people with them.”

Winthrop had two top-five finishers, as Olivia Paxton ranked fifth overall with her clocking of 18:50.51.

The Gamecocks and Eagles will face off again in two weekends, as Winthrop hosts its adidas Invitational on Sept. 17, with the women’s race starting at 10 a.m. on the Winthrop Farm.