Saturday, October 29, 2011

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 29, 2011) – It was a bittersweet day for ETSU freshman runner Filip Jalovy (Modrice, Czech Republic).

Looking to guide the Buccaneer cross country team to their first Atlantic Sun Championship since the 2008 season, Jalovy and the ETSU men fell short of the title. However, after turning in a fifth place finish at the conference meet, Jalovy was named A-Sun Freshman of the Year at the post-race ceremonies. Jalovy – who entered the meet with the league’s fifth fastest 8K time – clocked in at 25:17.45, turning in the top mark by any freshman on the grounds of Percy Warner Park on the Vaughn’s Gap Course in Nashville.

Along with Jalovy, two more Buccaneer runners were recognized for their efforts on Saturday, as Anders Ludvigsen (Odense, Denmark) and Adam Chase (Kingsport, Tenn.) received A-Sun accolades following the championship. Ludvigsen took home Second Team All-Atlantic Sun honors after finishing 12th with a time of 25:48.13, while Chase was selected to the A-Sun All-Freshmen Team with his 37th-place performance.

Overall, USC Upstate made it a clean sweep in the Music City, as the Spartans won both the team and individual titles. Gilbert Kemboi won his second consecutive A-Sun Championship after finishing the rugged course in 24:27.01, and the Spartans edged out two-time defending champion Kennesaw State in team scoring. USC Upstate registered 69 total points, compared to the Owls’ 79-point effort. In the end, the Bucs finished sixth overall with 104 points.

On the women’s side, Lipscomb beat North Florida for the team championship – 53 to 69. Individually, USC Upstate’s Jemeli Sang was the first of three consecutive Spartan runners to cross the finish line by turning in a mark of 17:20.9 on the 5K course.

The Lady Bucs were led by sophomore Chelsea Clark’s (Fairmont, Va.) 23rd-place showing (18:43.5). Following behind Clark in 25th was freshman Isabelle Grosskopff (Telgte, Germany).

Like Jalovy and Chase on the men’s side, Grosskopff was named to the A-Sun All-Freshmen Team on the women’s side.

The Bucs now gear up for the NCAA South Regional meet, which will be contested on Saturday, Nov. 12 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

For more information on Buccaneer cross country, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.