SEU Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Third at TSC Championship

LAKELAND, Fla.—Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams finished third at The Sun Conference Championships, held at Holloway Park Saturday morning.
Although neither team advanced, the Fire will be represented at the NAIA National Championship for the fourth straight year.
Freshman Julia Rohm was third overall in the women’s race, navigating the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:38 to earn an individual bid to nationals. She was named First-Team All-Sun Conference, and was also named the league’s Freshman of the Year. Rohm was 23 seconds behind the SCAD duo of Jessy Scarpone and Lemi Wutz, who finished in a time of 18:15.
“I wanted to stay with those two SCAD girls as long as I could, so I went out hard and held on as long as I could and wanted to leave everything out there,” said Rohm. “God gave me this opportunity, so I just wanted to run with everything He gave me.”
Sophomore Kelsi Ogilvie also earned first-team honors, placing seventh in 19:21. Freshman Madison Welch was selected to the second-team, finishing eighth in 19:26.
Raeanna Pabon was fourth across the line for SEU in 16th place in a time of 19:58, and Jenycha Rivera was 18th in 20:17.
The Fire finished with 52 points, just five back of St. Thomas. SCAD was the team champion with 43 points.
On the men’s side, the Fire finished with 87 points, trailing the Bobcats by five. SCAD was the runaway champion with a score of 29.
Jordan Gonzalez and Christopher Pinedo both earned Second-Team All-Sun Conference honors, placing eighth and 11th, respectively. Gonzalez completed the 8,000-meter course in 27:54, and Pinedo in 28:01.
Luke Kathman was third for the Fire in 17th with a time of 28:31, and was followed by Billy Adams in 22nd with a time of 28:54.
Christian Timana was in 29th, finishing in 29:47.
Rohm will race in the national championship on Friday, November 16 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at 11:30 a.m. Eastern.