BOILING SPRING, N.C. - Gabby Cortese finished in a season-best 19th place as she led the Gardner-Webb women's cross country team to a seventh place finish at the 2014 Big South Championships on Saturday morning on the campus of Gardner-Webb University.
Cortese finished the 5k race in season-best time of 19:10.78 which a little under one minute faster than her previous best time of the season, which was 20:02.9 at the Adidas Cross Country Challenge on Sept. 20.
The seventh place finish by the Runnin' Bulldogs is two spots higher than they had earlier this season at the Big South Preview Meet, where GWU finished in ninth place with 246 points.
The seventh place finish by GWU, is the highest since 2010 where it finished in sixth place with 189 points.
Jenna Ford was named to All-Academic team at the conclusion of today's championship meet. A sophomore, majoring in Physical Education, Ford sports a 3.357 cumulative GPA.
High Point took home the women's title with 67 points and was followed by Liberty (73), Radford (81), Campbell (83), and Coastal Carolina (87) to round out the top five teams.
Jacy Christiansen (Liberty) was named Big South Runner of the Year, as she took home the individual title, finishing the 5K course in 17:37.64, which set a new course record.
Christopher Lile paced Gardner-Webb in the men's 8K, finishing in 62nd place place with a with a time of 30:12.20. As a team, the Runnin' Bulldogs finished in 11th with 305 points.
High Point won the men's team title in dominating fashion, as the Panthers had five runners finish in the top 10, including the men's indivudal champion and runner of the year Jeff LaCoste who finished the course in 24:59.30.
Liberty (52) finished in second was followed by Campbell (75), Radford (141) and UNC-Asheville(156) to round out the top five teams.
2014 Big South Cross Country Awards
2014 Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Jeff LaCoste, High Point
2014 Men's Cross Country Freshman of the Year
Jacob Kipserem, Campbell
2014 Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year
Mike Esposito, High Point
2014 Men's Cross Country All-Conference Team
Jeff LaCoste, High Point
Jacob Kipserem, Campbell
Chris Colo, High Point
Titus Koech, Liberty
James Quattlebaum, High Point
Sam Hibbs, Liberty
Evan Darm, Campbell
Reece Ayers, High Point
Joseph Keitt, Coastal Carolina
Ryan Udvadia, High Point
Josh Showalter, Liberty
Paddy Grandinali, High Point
2014 Men's Cross Country All-Academic Team
Anthony Hughes, Campbell
Caleb Breeden, Charleston Southern
Evan Niciphor, Coastal Carolina
Reece Ayers, High Point
Will Templeton, Liberty
Russell Reed, Longwood
Reid McCandless, Presbyterian College
Caleb Smith, UNC Asheville
Blake White, Winthrop
2014 Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Reece Ayers, High Point
2014 Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Jacy Christiansen, Liberty
2014 Women's Cross Country Freshman of the Year
Joan Maritim, Campbell
2014 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
Jenna Wrieden, High Point
2014 Women's Cross Country All-Conference Team
Jacy Christiansen, Liberty
Joan Maritim, Campbell
Letitia Saayman, Coastal Carolina
Teresa Williamson, Radford
Kyla Van Graan, Coastal Carolina
Aynslee Van Graan, Coastal Carolina
Michelle Kauffman, Campbell
Katie Hickey, Radford
Natalia Ocasio, High Point
Kelly Hayes, High Point
Erin Dalton, UNC Asheville
Sarah Heisner, UNC Asheville
2014 Women's Cross Country All-Academic Team
Michelle Kauffman, Campbell
Jessie Dotson, Charleston Southern
Kyla van Graan, Coastal Carolina
Jenna Ford, Gardner-Webb
Julia Zautcke, High Point
Jacy Christiansen, Liberty
Gracie Piekarski, Longwood
Gabriele Lesieur, Presbyterian College
Teresa Williamson, Radford
Adrian Etheridge, UNC Asheville
Sarah DeVaux, Winthrop
2014 Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Teresa Williamson, Radford
