MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Piedmont University men’s cross country team finished 7th out of 24 teams at this year’s NCAA South Region Championships at Berry College. This marks the best finish as a team in program history, easily surpassing the previous best of 11th.
The top seven runners from the Lions returned to Mount Berry for the second time this season to compete at the NCAA South Region Championships. Spearheading the group of Lions, senior Gary Halverson bounced back in a major way. In a brilliant performance, Halverson cracked the top 30 with a PR of 25.50.9 in 30th place.
Six spots behind Halverson was Piedmont’s second finisher junior Layton Bradford who crossed in 36th place. Improving his time at the course from September, Bradford turned in a 26:15.1 which was nearly 14 seconds faster. Continuing his hot streak for Piedmont, Tucker Cox narrowly missed a PR performance while finishing in 26:32.9. Cox rounded out the top 50 finishers for Piedmont in 49th place.
Walker Capelle and Grady Sanders were the next two runners to cross for Piedmont. In a PR performance, Capelle turned in a time of 26:42.8 for a 54th place finish at the event. Sanders also turned in a PR performance as the freshman from Toccoa crossed at 28:09.0.
The final duo of runners to cross for Piedmont were Jadon Gonzales and Parker Snelson. Finishing within 15 second of one another, Gonzales recorded a time of 29:23.3 while Snelson completed the race in 29:38.0.
The race marks the end of the 2023 season for the program and one of the best in program history.
Complete Men’s results:
Gary Halverson – 25:50.9
Layton Bradford – 26:15.1
Tucker Cox – 26:32.9
Walker Capelle – 26:42.8
Grady Sanders – 28.09.0
Jadon Gonzales – 29:23.3
Parker Snelson – 29:38.0
