Eagles Battle Tough Terrain At SAC Preview
Eagles take on tough terrain at the SAC Preview meet Saturday morning
VIDEO: Jenna Pittman Interview
VIDEO: Wesley Thomas Interview
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman cross country returned from the SAC Preview meet at Kinser Park Golf Course on Saturday morning with the men's team placing sixth and the women finishing second overall.
The meet marked the Eagles' first-ever race on the Kinser Park course, which will also serve as the site of the South Atlantic Conference Championships in just under a month.
SAC Preview results can be found HERE.
"It was a very tough course and conditions today," said head coach Brent Borden. "Both teams showed up and I am happy with the effort they gave, which is all we can ask for on a day like today. As a coach and as an athlete, this is the hardest cross country course I've ever seen. I'm proud of how both teams competed and stayed healthy throughout the race."
The challenging course posed steep terrain with muddy stretches that tested the entire field.
Jenna Pittman paced the runner-up women's squad, finishing fourth in the 6k with a time of 26:00.70. The Eagles missed out on first place by just six points.
"I'm not proud of my time today, but I'm happy with how I was able to compete with the field here," said Pittman. "I think everyone on the team showed grit and ran tough on this course."
Keirieonna Wilson also delivered a strong performance for the Eagles, placing fifth with a time of 26:06.70. Emma Roberts rounded out Carson-Newman's top finishers in 15th at 28:05.40.
On the men's side, freshman Wesley Thomas led the way, placing 20th in the 8k with a time of 31:53.10.
"It was just a next-man-up mentality," Thomas said. "We've had more people step up and fill in those gaps. This was a good opportunity for us to go out there and race a tough course."
Andrew Thompson crossed the line in 30th with a time of 32:36.20, while Bryson Burkett placed 35th in 33:29.10.
Carson-Newman will be back in action next Friday, Oct. 3, at the Georgia Tech Invitational at Bouckaert Farm in Fairburn, Ga., beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Stay connected with Carson-Newman cross country by following @CN_Eagles on X and Instagram, or by liking Carson-Newman Athletics on Facebook. For more information and updates, visit cneagles.com.
