2008 Woodie Awards
Cross Country athletes prepare for new season
Jennifer Adkins
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Sports
The men's and women's cross country teams are getting into shape for the UTC opener and annual Powerade Invitational, Friday and Saturday at Moccasin Bend.
The race will feature three high school division races and an open collegiate race in the evening.
Veteran and All-Conference runners include Katie Williams, Elizabethton, Tenn., Sabrina Lefort, Timmins, Ontario, Canada, and Shelley Taylor, Cohutta, Ga., for the women. Williams and Taylor took sixth and tenth places at the 2007 Southern Conference championships.
The men's veteran runners include Kevine Huwe, Murfreesboro, David Moore, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Blake Ketron, Kingsport, Tenn., and Chris Berry, Murfreesboro sophomore and last year's SoCon Freshman of the Year.
Five freshmen have also joined the teams, including Tripp Anderson, Colton Popp, Zeek Rainey, Joshue Vasquez and Emily Thompson.
Although the teams have quite a few new runners, they have suffered a loss in graduating seniors and power runners Michael Mentz, Bloemfontein, South Africa, and Kathleen Turchin, Sugar Hill, Ga., SoCon champions.
Mentz and Turchin earned all-region honors last year and Mentz earned an automatic bid to the NCAA East Region championships.
Turchin was named the women's conference Runner of the Year.
Mentz was also recently honored by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for his academic achievements at UTC, alongside both cross country and track and field teams.
He placed third at the cross country championships last year and took home two all-conference wins in the Mile Run and 3,000 meter event at the indoor championships. Mentz also took first in the SoCon 1,500 meter run.
Despite the losses, the Lady Mocs were selected by the league coaches last week to win the 2008 SoCon Cross Country Championships.
Likewise, the men's cross country team was picked to take third place in this year's SoCon.
The race will feature three high school division races and an open collegiate race in the evening.
Veteran and All-Conference runners include Katie Williams, Elizabethton, Tenn., Sabrina Lefort, Timmins, Ontario, Canada, and Shelley Taylor, Cohutta, Ga., for the women. Williams and Taylor took sixth and tenth places at the 2007 Southern Conference championships.
The men's veteran runners include Kevine Huwe, Murfreesboro, David Moore, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Blake Ketron, Kingsport, Tenn., and Chris Berry, Murfreesboro sophomore and last year's SoCon Freshman of the Year.
Five freshmen have also joined the teams, including Tripp Anderson, Colton Popp, Zeek Rainey, Joshue Vasquez and Emily Thompson.
Although the teams have quite a few new runners, they have suffered a loss in graduating seniors and power runners Michael Mentz, Bloemfontein, South Africa, and Kathleen Turchin, Sugar Hill, Ga., SoCon champions.
Mentz and Turchin earned all-region honors last year and Mentz earned an automatic bid to the NCAA East Region championships.
Turchin was named the women's conference Runner of the Year.
Mentz was also recently honored by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for his academic achievements at UTC, alongside both cross country and track and field teams.
He placed third at the cross country championships last year and took home two all-conference wins in the Mile Run and 3,000 meter event at the indoor championships. Mentz also took first in the SoCon 1,500 meter run.
Despite the losses, the Lady Mocs were selected by the league coaches last week to win the 2008 SoCon Cross Country Championships.
Likewise, the men's cross country team was picked to take third place in this year's SoCon.
