Piedmont’s cross country program made a huge splash at the Greater Louisville Classic/DIII Prenationals, with the women breaking three school records and the men set a pair of new records as well.
Women’s Cross Country
At the largest meet of the season, the Piedmont College women’s cross country team made quite the statement on the national stage breaking three school records at the Greater Louisville Classic/DIII Prenationals.
Piedmont’s fastest team average was set at 25:08.84 while the all-time 6k school record and freshman 6k school record were also broken.
REESE BOWLES has left quite the legacy for Piedmont though she’s only halfway through her junior season as the junior from Jefferson, Georgia is now the all-time 6k school record holder with a 23:44.90 on Saturday. Bowles’ time was a full 2:33 faster than her mark at the Berry College Watermelon Run to open the season.
CASEY TODD made her mark setting the freshman 6k record running a 24:52.35, nearly three minutes better than her time to open the season. KRISTIN WHITLOCK had the largest improvement from the season opening 6k as she shaved off exactly four minutes from her time crossing the line in 25:32.12 Saturday.
Three athletes finished within three seconds of one another as MELANIE RIMAWI ran a 25:46.33, MACKENZIE DEVINEran a 25:48.46 and ANALEE BRADACH recorded a 25:49.03. Rimawi was 1:16 faster than her time at Berry, Devine was 1:10 faster and Bradach shaved off 1:11 from her time in the season opener as those three are consistently in a pack.
MONICA JIMENEZ had another impressive gain as she was 2:12 faster than her previous 6k with a 26:58.11 on Saturday and AMBER DUFFY also shaved off just over a minute with a 28:01.70.
Standout Performances
—REESE BOWLES set the all-time 6k school record with a 23:44.90, putting her in 83rd overall of the 332 runners in the silver division.
—CASEY TODD set the freshman 6k record running a 24:52.35 on Saturday.
Inside the Numbers
–Piedmont set the fastest team average in school history averaging a 25:08.84, 36 seconds faster than the previous team average set at the Berry College Invitational in 2015.
–Every athlete ran faster than their previous 6k this season at the Berry College Watermelon Run by at least one minute.
Complete Piedmont Results
REESE BOWLES – 23:44.90
CASEY TODD – 24:52.35
KRISTIN WHITLOCK – 25:32.12
MELANIE RIMAWI – 25:46.33
MACKENZIE DEVINE – 25:48.46
ANALEE BRADACH – 25:49.03
MONICA JIMENEZ – 26:58.11
AMBER DUFFY – 28:01.70
News & Notes
–The Lady Lions had three freshmen in the top five for Piedmont and a total of six athletes under 26 minutes.
Up Next
Piedmont will host the Piedmont Invitational/USA South Preview on October 8 at the TFS Farm Course with the women’s 6k at 10:00 a.m. and the men’s 8k at 10:45 a.m.
Men’s Cross Country
The Piedmont College men’s cross country team saw a pair of school records fall at the Greater Louisville Classic/DIII Prenationals finishing with a team average of 28:13.81. That mark set the fastest team average in school history while NATHAN GALLOWAY broke his own record for the freshman 8k school record recording a 27:27.72.
Galloway’s time was 21 seconds faster than his 8k at the Furman Classic when he set the freshman 8k school record for the first time. Piedmont had three freshmen at the top of the team score for Piedmont as JOHNATHON QUINN came across second for the Lions with a 27:37.78, just 10 seconds off Galloway.
Quinn’s time was a full 1:13 faster than his time at the Furman Classic giving him the largest time improvement of the week. BRYCE GRIGGS also made his way into the top three finishing third on the team with a 28:21.72, 48 seconds faster than his best time this season.
Senior CODY PARKER recorded a 28:44.44 as the only upperclassman in the top five with freshman CONLEY WILHELM moving into the top five with a 28:57.35, just over a minute better than his 8k time at the Berry College Watermelon Run. DEWAYNE CAGLE also took off over a minute from his time at Furman running a 29:07.45.
CORY MCCLUNG ran 25 seconds faster this week than the last meet with a 29:16.05 while ANDREW GALE nearly made the minute mark as well shaving 57 seconds off his time at the Furman Classic running a 29:23.85. NATHAN CREWS was the final athlete for the Lions running a 32:37.80.
Standout Performances
—NATHAN GALLOWAY set the freshman 8k school record running a 27:27.72, breaking his own record set at the Furman Classic in the previous meet.
–The Lions set the school record for the fastest team average at 28:13.81, breaking last season’s record after coming within two seconds of breaking it at the Furman Classic.
Inside the Numbers
–Three Piedmont athletes beat their best time of the season by more than a minute on Saturday.
–The Lions’ fastest team average time was 28 seconds better than the previous average set at the USA South Championships a year ago.
Complete Piedmont Results
NATHAN GALLOWAY – 27:27.72*
JOHNATHON QUINN – 27:37.78*
BRYCE GRIGGS – 28:21.72*
CODY PARKER – 28:44.44
CONLEY WILHELM – 28:57.35*
DEWAYNE CAGLE – 29:07.45*
CORY MCCLUNG – 29:16.05*
ANDREW GALE – 29:23.85*
NATHAN CREWS – 32:37.80
News & Notes
-Piedmont had seven athletes run their best time of the season with those athletes being indicted by an * next to their time in the Complete Piedmont Results.
Up Next
Piedmont hosts the Piedmont Invitational/USA South Preview on October 8 at the TFS Farm Course with the women’s 6k at 10:00 a.m. and the men’s 8k at 10:45 a.m.
