Huntingdon women finish second in GSAC cross country championships

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Saturday wasn't the result the Huntingdon women's cross country team wanted.

The Hawks placed five runners in the Top 16 but missed out on a third straight Great South Athletic Conference title. Piedmont won the GSAC championship with a score of 29. Huntingdon was second with 44 points.

"Our goal was to win and it's disappointing to finish second," Huntingdon coach Nate Rucker said. "But I'm not disappointed in the effort our girls gave. The girls ran hard and gave it everything they had. We battled the whole race. It just wasn't our day."

Three-time defending GSAC Runner of the Year Caitlin McMahon led Huntingdon with a time of 26:55.06 and an eighth-place finish in the 6k race.

"Caitlin has been battling an injury, but she gave us everything she had and she did everything she could do today," Rucker said. "I don't think words can really describe what Caitlin has meant to this program and what she has done in four years. She came in as a freshman and took control of the conference. She was the first person in conference history to win three straight individual titles. Today wasn't her day, but she has a lot to be proud of and a lot of accomplishments to look back on."

Sheaney Marshall was 10th with a time of 27:25.04, Jackie Daniels was 14th(28:18.11), Rachael Phillips was 15th (28:25.02), Brianna McClure was 16th(28:30.79), Whitney Denney was 22nd (30:01.57), Hannah Still was 24th (30:22.08), Jodie Thomas was 34th (31:26.07), Chala Monk was 53rd (34:11.65) and Carly Williamson was 58th (36:16.92).

"I'm proud of all of these girls," Rucker said. "It's going to be tough to lose these seniors. When we started the team, Jackie Daniels was the first person to commit to run for us. This class has been a special part of this program and they helped build it from the ground up. I couldn't have asked for a better group."