FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 27, 2010
Contact: Robert Preston, Jr.,
912.260.4276
robert.preston@sgsc.edu
SGC Cross Country Team Opens Year After Solid
Pre-season
For the 2010 season, 13 runners from all over the Southeast
will take to the trails as members of the South Georgia College Tigers cross
country team. The team is in its second season of competition. Last year’s
team did a good job of establishing the program, and the 2010 squad is
poised to raise the bar and compete with the best teams in the conference.
All of the runners for this season’s team are brand new — 11 are freshman
and two are sophomores. The men’s team is anchored by freshman Samuel
Caldwell of Bremen, who posted a personal best 5K time of 16:57 during his
high school career. Also at the top of the men’s team is Brandon Lundin, a
sophomore transfer from Clarendon College in Texas. Brandon brings with him
a year of experience competing at the collegiate level is knows the demands
that racing 8K (5 miles) places on runners throughout the season. He will be
counted on to provide leadership for the younger team members. Two former
high school teammates, Daniel Chavez and Mark McLeod, both from Fitzgerald,
were top of the top cross country runners in the area last year and both are
capable of running some very fast times. Josh Holcombe, a very good runner
from the Atlanta area, and John Adams of Nicholls, round out the men’s team.
One late addition, Ashe Kelly of Blackshear, came to SGC to play soccer. He
has earned a spot on the soccer team but will also split time running with
the cross country team. Ashe posted a 17:07 5K on his high school cross
country team and has the potential to be one of the Tigers’ fastest men,
even with a reduced training load due to soccer commitments.
For 2010, the Tigers have a full women’s team for the first time in school
history. The ladies’ team is led by Jennifer Cumbus, a speedy young lady
from Berrien County, and Minerva Arreguin, a powerful runner from Avon Park,
Florida, who never seems to slow down. Courtlyn Fussell of Douglas and
Shukia Jones of Waycross are steady, consistent runners who will also be
very important to the 2010 cross country Tigers. Two other women, Stephanie
Crews of Brunswick and Sunshine Carter of Baxley, are also members of SGC’s
first-ever swim team. They run in the mornings and then spend a couple of
hours in the pool each afternoon. Their work ethic is impressive and will
pay off at the races.
Early results for the cross country team have been promising. Several team
members competed in road races over the summer and placed very well. Brandon
Lundin and Mark McLeod turned in one top-three overall finish each while
Sunshine Carter won age group awards in triathlons and both 5K and 10K road
races throughout the summer. In two pre-season off-road 5Ks at Valdosta’s
Freedom Park, Samuel Caldwell finished second overall twice, while Daniel
Chavez, Mark McLeod and Brandon Lundin finished in the top 10 overall.
Jennifer Cumbus and Minerva Arreguin also placed well in the women’s race.
“This is a very talented group of runners. They have worked hard through a
hot and difficult summer. This team is committed to being among the best in
our conference. We have a great group this year and I think you’re going to
see some big things as we move through the season,” says Robert Preston Jr.,
cross country coach.
The Tigers open their five-meet season today at Darton College in Albany at
the Darton Invitational.
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About South Georgia College
South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu)
was founded in 1906 and is an accredited two-year institution in the
University System of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's
environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary
study and close collaboration with faculty. With over 20 majors and transfer
opportunities, South Georgia College provides the finest education possible
to the citizens of its service area.
