The Milligan College cross country team is looking to make noise on the national stage as they send the nine-time defending AAC champion women’s squad and four individual males to the 2011 NAIA Cross Country National Championships in Vancouver, Wash.
"We've had a solid last month of preparation so I'm excited to see us line up and get after it,” Head Coach Chris Layne said.
The women’s squad is coming off a strong performance in the AAC Championships, where they claimed their ninth straight title. Senior Gillian Giffen (Knoxville, Tenn.) led the Buffaloes as they captured three of the top five spots. Giffen claimed her fourth straight AAC Runner of the year title with a time of 18:09, nearly 30 seconds off of her season best mark. Catie McMahon (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.) finished third with a time of 19:19, while Lauren Hubbard (Kingsport, Tenn.) was fourth with a mark of 19:24.
Freshman Christine McMahon (Lanoka Harbor, N.J.) and Cassie St. John (Jonesborough, Tenn.) recorded top-eight finishes in their conference championship debut as they crossed the line in sixth and eighth, respectively.
"I still think our women can take another step, and our workouts and mindset have indicated this can happen,” Layne said.
On the men’s side, Austin Ellis (Charlottesville, Va.) lead the individuals to qualify for the national championships as he dominated the conference meet to earn his third runner of the year award with a time of 25:08. Nathan Meeuwenbeg (Hudsonville, Mich.) came in fourth with a mark of 25:48, while Matt Murhpy (Greeneville, Tenn.) rounded out the top five with a time of 25:59. Senior Brendan Hawkins (Limestone, Tenn.) was the final Buffalo to qualify as scored a top-10 finish with a mark of 27:02.
"Gillian and Austin are really peaking at the right time,” Layne said. “I just want to see them go out with a big run Saturday."
The 2011 NAIA Cross Country National Championships is slated to begin at 10:30 a.m., in Vancouver, Wash., on Saturday, Nov. 19.
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