Mars Hill Wins 2014 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Cross Country Title

SALISBURY, N.C. – The Mars Hill men won the 2014 South Atlantic Cross Country Championship at the Salisbury Community Park in Salisbury, N.C. on Saturday morning.  Queen's Felix Duchampt took the top spot in the men's 8K to pick up Runner of the Year honors.

Mars Hill notched 27 points just ahead of Queens' 41 markers in a race decided by the 4-5 runners.  Wingate placed third with 136 points and in fourth was Lenoir-Rhyne with 140 points.  Anderson claimed the No. 5 position as it finished the meet with 154 points.  Lincoln Memorial's 160 points was good for sixth, while Coker's 184 points placed them at No. 7.  Tusculum found itself at No. 8 with 186 points and in ninth was Carson-Newman with 196 points.  Catawba finished with 242 points to place 10^th and at No. 11 was Newberry with 252 points.  Brevard College did not compete enough runners to place in the men's event.

The Royals' Duchampt finished the 8K course in 25:41 to mark the second-straight year of claiming the men's individual title and Runner of the Year honor.  Mars Hill's Alex Griggs placed second in a time of 25:57 and in third was teammate David Jones who crossed the line in 26:03.  Jimmy Hollingsworth of Queens placed fourth with a showing of 26:10 and at the No. 5 position was Derek Gibson of Mars Hill who turned in a time of 26:22.  Queens' Adrien Barral earned Freshman of the Year honors with sixth place time of 26:33, ahead of Mars Hill's junior Cesar Reyes who posted a time of 26:45.  Tusculum's David Cooper was eighth with a time of 26:46 and at No. 9 was Mason Hazel of Anderson who negotiated the course in 26:50.   James Gilreath of Mars Hill was 10^th with a time of 27:05 and Victor Moreau of Queens was 11^th with a time of 27:06.  Hassan Kiprono of Brevard finished twelfth with a time of 27:07.  Aubrey Hite of Lenoir-Rhyne and Brandon Beard of Mars Hill rounded out the list of All-South Atlantic Runners for the men with times of 27:08 and 27:12, respectively.

Mars Hill's Mike Owens was named the Men's South Atlantic Cross Country Coach of the Year

2014  Big South All-Conference Team (Men)

First Team

Felix Duchampt, Queens

Alex Griggs, Mars Hills

David Jones, Mars Hills

Jimmy Hollingsworth, Queens

Derek Gibson, Mars Hill

Adrien Barral, Queens

Cesar Reyes, Mars Hill

Second Team

David Cooper, Tusculum

Mason Hazel, Anderson

James Gilreath, Mars Hill

Victor Moreau, Queens

Hassan Kiprono, Brevard

Aubrey Hite, Lenoir-Rhyne

Brandon Beard, Mars Hill

Honorable Mention

Brandon Ward, Lincoln Memorial

Michael Hering, Wingate

Garrett Farrimond, Mars Hill

Lachan Dickie, Carson Newman

Dale Pate, Lincoln Memorial

Chris Vilela, Queens

Westley Wilson, Anderson

All-Freshman (Men)

Hassan Kiprono , Queens

Adrien Barral, Queens

Mason Hazel, Anderson

James Gilreath, Mars Hill

Victor Moreau, Queens

2014 Runner of the Year (Men)

Felix Duchampt, Queens

2014 Freshman of the Year (Men)

Adrien Barral, Queens

Mike Owens, Mars Hill