FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Contact:  Robert Preston, Jr.,
              912.260.4276
              robert.preston@sgc.edu

SGC Men’s Cross Country Podiums at Soggy Daytona Meet

The South Georgia College men’s cross country team may have enjoyed its greatest success to date over the weekend, placing third as the only junior college team among a field of four-year runners on a wet, nasty course at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. The women also competed in the meet, and finished fifth in the same slippery conditions.

After an hour delay for lightning, the men took to the course about 8:30 a.m. A downpour had been falling on central Florida for two days, thoroughly soaking the course and making this one of the most difficult meets the Tigers have ever raced. Despite the bad weather, two Tigers finished in the top 15 and brought home individual awards. Mark McLeod, a sophomore from Fitzgerald who has led the SGC men all year, finished 11th with a 30:44. Daniel Chavez, another Fitzgerald sophomore, came in 14th in a time of 30:57. Other finishers for SGC were Joshua Holcombe, Lyndon Jones, Juan Gibbs, Jevonta Latimer and John Adams. The men finished third behind Embry Riddle (first) and Stetson University (second).

In the women’s race, a pair of SGC runners broke into the top 20, but the Lady Tigers just didn’t have the horsepower to make the podium. Minerva Arreguin, a sophomore from Avon Park, Florida, came in 19th with a 23:27. Pierce County freshman Tia Ponsell stayed with Arreguin for the entire race and finished one second back of her teammate in 23:28 and 20th place. Jennifer Cumbus, Sarah Snipes and Elizabeth Wilder rounded out the Lady Tigers’ line-up.

“Everyone was a little slow in Daytona. A race like that is more of a mental battle than a physical test. Our runners showed they can compete with athletes at larger schools, and it was very cool seeing our junior college runners receiving individual awards. I was also very impressed with Tia. She has battled back from her surgery like a true champion. It hasn’t been an easy season for her, but she has never complained or made any excuses,” stated SGC head cross country coach Robert Preston Jr.

The next official meet for the Tigers is the conference championship on Oct. 29 at Darton College in Albany. “We have progressed well but we still have a tremendous amount of work to do in the next two and a half weeks. Right now, we are sitting in third place in the conference. We need to move into second for a trip to nationals. It’s not going to be easy, but we have a chance,” said Coach Preston.

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is 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.