Winchester, VA – The Millsaps Cross-Country team recently competed in the 2015 Division III Championship held at Shenandoah University.
Millsaps had seven total runners (three women and four men) compete in the weekend's races held at historic Kernstown Battlefield. The course itself is a preserved Civil War Battlefield that offered many challenges for the Majors. With a rolling hill course on a cold, windy day, the Majors gained a great deal of experience not only for next year's cross-country season, but for the upcoming track and field season as well.
Both men's and women's races featured a 'double-loop' for the 6k and 8k races. The women's race, which took place in windy, cold conditions, featured three runners for the Majors.
Gabby Rincon led the way for Millsaps with an overall time of 27:21.7 and a 7:20 average mile.
Miranda Gaupp finished with an overall time of 27:39.5 (7:24 average mile) while
Emma Hurstell completed the solid race for the Majors with an overall time of 29:15.8 (7:50 average mile).
In the men's 8k race, four members of the Millsaps Men's Cross-Country team competed.
Ken Newburger led the way for the Majors with an overall time of 28:21.7 and an average mile time of 5:42.4.
Jared Allen finished close behind with an overall time of 28:22.7 and average mile time of 5:42.6.
Michael Sullivan finished with an overall time of 29:52.5 (average mile 6:00.9) while
James Armstrong completed the positive race for the Majors with a time of 30:27.2 (6:07.6 average mile).
Overall, it was a solid race for the Majors, who will look to use this weekend's positive momentum heading into the Track and Field season.
"The race this weekend was great experience for us," Head Cross-Country/Track and Field Coach
Andy Till said. "There are a lot of benefits to going up to Virginia and running with that level of competition. It was an organic experience competing on that high of a level, we would like to run more races that way in the future.
"The course itself was incredibly challenging, scenic, but very challenging. The day of the race was cold and windy, especially for the women's 6k, but overall was a beautiful day. We wrapped up the cross-country season with this weekend's race, but it gives us a lot of excitement about the upcoming track and field season."
The Majors complete a solid cross-country season, as the first track and field meet will take place indoors in Birmingham in the month of Feb.
