The South Atlantic Conference Announces Women's Cross Country Elite 20 Honoree

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Valerie Griesche was named the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country Elite 20 honoree, the League announced today.  This award honors the student-athlete with the top cumulative grade-point average based on a minimum of 48 credit hours who is competing at the final site of each of the Conference's 20 team championship sports

Greische carries a 4.0 GPA as a biology major.

Griesche has helped Wingate win four-of-four regular season meets. Her best times this year include a 20:06.9 5K at the Disney Cross Country Classic and a 24:57.5 6K at the Bulldog Stampede.

In the spring of 2017, Griesche was named to the Academic All-America® track and field/ cross country third team by CoSIDA. On the SAC XC awards podium, she was honorable mention All-SAC at the 2016 SAC cross country meet with her 5K time of 19:29. Griesche was second team All-SAC at the 2014 SAC cross country meet, thanks to her 12th place finish and her 19:31 5K time.

Wingate has won two SAC women's cross country titles and made three NCAA cross country national meet appearance in her career.