UT Arlington Claims Women’s XC title; Stefanoff Wins Race

UT Arlington women’s squad claimed the 2014 Cross Country Championship as they led after 1K and never relinquished the lead at USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park on Sunday in Mobile, Alabama. Hannah Stefanoff of Georgia State claimed the individual title as she finished in 16:57.7.

UT Arlington claimed victory as three runners finished in the top eight and all five took spots in the top 21. The Mavericks won the race with 51 team points. Katelyn Hayward led the way as she finished in fifth place with a mark of 17:16.5. Gabriela Alfonzo finished just behind her in sixth place with a time of 17:17.4. Ashly Wright’s 17:26.7 mark claimed eighth while Hannah Nilsson finished in 11th and Tori Shelton took 21st.

Tristin Van Ord led the Appalachian State women’s team to a second place finish as she took second individually with a mark of 17:02.6. The sophomore was fourth after 1K and third after 3K, but was able to move up to second at the finish line. Justine Stocks grabbed 10th with a time of 17:31.4. The Mountaineers threesome of Dana Cox, Shelby Howell, and Torre Moser took 15th, 16th, and 17th as the team finished with 60 points, just nine behind the Mavericks.

Arkansas State finished in third with 64 points. Rexi Parcells took third place in 17:09.5 while Abbey Dixon claimed seventh in 17:25.7. Tilda Helgesson took 14th while Arnica Zitting took 18th. Zitting was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year as she finished the race in 17:49.5.

Emma Dahl of UALR has the lead after 1K, but she fell off and finished in 13th place. Her teammate Cheryl Nolan took fourth place individually as UALR finished in sixth place.

UL Lafayette finished in fourth place as Anna Katherine Devitt finished in ninth individually to lead the squad. Georgia State took fifth as they were topped by Stefanoff. Kelly Trevino of Texas State claimed 12th place with a time of 17:36.5 as the Bobcats finished in eighth. South Alabama took seventh, while Troy, Georgia Southern, and UL Monroe rounded out the team results.

Women’s Team Results
1. UT Arlington, 51
2. Appalachian State, 60
3. Arkansas State, 64
4. UL-Lafayette, 135
5. Georgia State, 150
6. UALR, 163
7. South Alabama, 174
8. Texas State, 182
9. Troy, 198
10. Georgia Southern, 274
11. ULM, 332

Sun Belt 1st Team All-Conference
Hannah Steffanoff, Georgia State
Tristin Van Ord, Appalachian State
Rexi Parcells, Arkansas State
Cheryl Nolan, UALR
Katelyn Hayward, UT Arlington

Sun Belt 2nd Team All-Conference
Gabriela Alfonzo, UT Arlington
Abbey Dixon, Arkansas State
Ashly Wright, UT Arlington
Anna Katherine Devitt, UL Lafayette
Justine Stocks, Appalachian State

Sun Belt 3rd Team All-Conference
Hannah Nilsson, UT Arlington
Kelly Trevino, Texas State
Emma Dahl, UALR
Tilda Helgesson, Arkansas State
Dana Cox, Appalachian State

Runner of the Year
Hanna Stefanoff, Georgia State

Freshman of the Year
Arnica Zitting, Arkansas State

Coach of the Year
John Sauerhage, UT Arlington