Loyola Cross Country competes in SSAC Championship Friday

OAKVILLE, Ala. – The Loyola University New Orleans men's and women's cross country teams returned to Oakville, Alabama, on Friday. The programs previously competed in Oakville at the Warhawk Invite last month. On Friday, the teams battled in the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship. The women competed in the 6-kilometer race while the men ran the 8-kilometer event.
 

The Loyola women placed sixth among the SSAC's nine competing teams with 175, while the Wolf Pack men finished second among eight programs, scoring 52–just one point short of a tie-breaker with Mobile (Ala.).
 

The Loyola men had five SSAC All-Conference runners in Friday's race, with Connor Meigs, Jace Luckoski, Cole Savoy, Jacob Kennedy, and Dylan Brown all finishing in the Top 15. That's the most all-conference honorees that the Wolf Pack have had since becoming a member of the SSAC. Five all-conference runners are tied for the most in school history, marking the fifth time that number has been reached and the first since 2002. Aubrey Gibson joins Savoy and Brown on the SSAC All-Freshman, and Geoff Masanet was awarded the Co-Coach of the Year title, giving the Wolf Pack seven total honorees. The men's cross country program has never had seven total honored by the SSAC at the Championship. 
 

Meera Hijazi was the first Loyola runner to cross the finish line in the 68-runner contest. The freshman placed 26th, clocking 25:18.51. Sophia Freeze was not far behind, taking 35th place for a time of 26:01.16. Caitlyn Summers took 38th, recording 26:12.19 on the day. Sela Myers and Emma Meneses finished back-to-back, taking 42nd and 43rd for times of 26:53.13 and 27:08.32, respectively. Andrea Bardales wrapped up the 6-kilometer event, finishing in 53rd for a 28:59.72 time.
 

Meigs started the 70-runner race by claiming seventh place for the Wolf Pack, notching a time of 26:31.96. Luckoski finished a few seconds later, taking eighth for a time of 26:36.55. Savoy was next up, ending the race in 11th for a 26:47.75 time. Kennedy followed Savoy in 12th place, clocking 26:49.58.
 

Shortly after, Brown took 14th with a 26:53.15 time. In 16th place, Aubrey Gibson crossed the finish line, snagging a 27:01.49 performance. Alastair Casler and Adam Merkle took 24th and 25th places for times of 27:40.15 and 28:02.79, respectively. Drake Breland notched 29th place with 28:21.49, and Elijah Reeves wrapped the day up for Loyola, getting 43rd place with a timing of 29:25.24 to secure Loyola's finish.
 

Women's Cross Country Awards

Coach of the Year: Josh Moore, William Carey
Runner of the Year: Kristina Stojanovic, William Carey
Newcomer of the Year: Kristina Stojanovic, William Carey
Freshman of the Year: Kaedyn Wilson, Blue Mountain Christian
Team Sportsmanship: Dalton State

Women's First-Team All-Conference
Kristina Stojanovic, William Carey
Maria Tirado, William Carey
Kaedyn Wilson, Blue Mountain Christian
Linah Ewoi, UT Southern
Alyssa Andrea, UT Southern
Chloe Helms, Faulkner
Emma Vizina, UT Southern

Women's Second-Team All-Conference
Sydney Moudy, William Carey
Kylie Gray, Dalton State
Claire Atkins, Mobile
Claire Deaton, UT Southern
Aubrey Britt, Blue Mountain Christian
Hannah Mitchell, William Carey
Harley Garner, Blue Mountain Christian
Kaylea Holmes, Mobile

Women's All-Freshman
Kaedyn Wilson, Blue Mountain Christian
Linah Ewoi, UT Southern
Sydney Moudy, William Carey
Macy Robertson, William Carey
Allison Batts, Dalton State

Champions of Character Team    
Jordanna Yunis, Abraham Baldwin
Aubrey Britt, Blue Mountain Christian
Lillie Brown, Brewton-Parker Christian
Kylie Gray, Dalton State
Avery Rogers, Faulkner
Meera Hijazi, Loyola
Reece Prestridge, Mobile
Abreya Lee, Thomas
Alyssa Andrea, UT Southern
Hannah Mitchell , William Carey
    

Athletic Solutions All-Academic Team    
Sarah Haas, Loyola University New Orleans
Emma Meneses, Loyola University New Orleans
Madison Reado, Loyola University New Orleans
Caitlyn Summers, Loyola University New Orleans
Lucia Roca Rodado, Thomas University
Claire Atkins, University of Mobile
Ella Downing, University of Mobile
Kaylea Holmes, University of Mobile
Reese Prestridge, University of Mobile
Aubrey Britt, Blue Mountain Christian University
Leah Montgomery, Blue Mountain Christian University
Lauren Paul, Blue Mountain Christian University
Angel Wright, Blue Mountain Christian University
Kylie Gray, Dalton State College
Madison Todd, Dalton State College
Aurora Latimer, William Carey University
Maria Virginia Tirado, William Carey University
Kristina Stojanovic, William Carey University
Hannah Mitchell, William Carey University
Maria Victoria Tirado, William Carey University
Anslee James, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Olivia  Barksdale, Tennessee Southern
LouAnne Bernard, Tennessee Southern
Addison Moore, Tennessee Southern
Emma Vizina, Tennessee Southern
Amelia Worsley, Tennessee Southern
Chloe Helms, Faulkner University
Sarah Lorimor, Faulkner University
Saryah Martin, Faulkner University
Martha Mendez, Faulkner University
Avery Rogers, Faulkner University
 

Men's Cross Country Awards

Co-Coach of the Year: Leith Rawson, Mobile
Co-Coach of the Year: Geoff Masanet, Loyola
Runner of the Year: Frank Kipruto, UT Southern
Freshman of the Year: Frank Kipruto, UT Southern
Team Sportsmanship: UT Southern
 

Men's First-Team All-Conference
Frank Kipruto, UT Southern
Joey Jones, Mobile
Matthew McGuire, William Carey
Jonah Barnhardt, Blue Mountain Christian
Amon Rotich, UT Southern
John Spillers, Mobile
Connor Meigs, Loyola

Men's Second-Team All-Conference
Jace Luckoski, Loyola
William Givens, Mobile
Lukas Dykes, Blue Mountain Christian
Cole Savoy, Loyola
Jacob Kennedy, Loyola
Joe Stevens, Mobile
Dylan Brown, Loyola
David Robles, Faulkner

Men's All-Freshman
Frank Kipruto, UT Southern
John Spillers, Mobile
Cole Savoy, Loyola
Dylan Brown, Loyola
Aubrey Gibson, Loyola

Champions of Character Team    
Alec Stapp, Abraham Baldwin
Jonah Barnhardt, Blue Mountain Christian
Jonah Gali, Brewton-Parker Christian
Creed Spivey, Faulkner
Elijah Reeves, Loyola
Joey Jones, Mobile
Landon Watts, Thomas
Jay Carroll, UT Southern
Matthew Mcguire, William Carey 
   
Athletic Solutions All-Academic Team    
Matthew Andrea, Tennessee Southern
Jay Carroll, Tennessee Southern
Amon Rotich, Tennessee Southern
Daniel Sanchez, Tennessee Southern
Cameron Stovall, Tennessee Southern
Brodie Moore, Faulkner University
Creed Spivey, Faulkner University
Jacob Hackenberry, Brewton-Parker Christian University
Carter Dural, Loyola University New Orleans
Jace Luckoski, Loyola University New Orleans
Mason Mack, Loyola University New Orleans
Jermaine McGhee, Loyola University New Orleans
Joseph Medina, Loyola University New Orleans
Connor Meigs, Loyola University New Orleans
Jacob Mullis, Loyola University New Orleans
Carter Scheuermann, Loyola University New Orleans
Jeremiah Speights, Thomas University
Nelson Lopez, Thomas University
William Givens, University of Mobile
Michael Kitchen, University of Mobile
Cameron Skipper, University of Mobile
Joseph Stevens, University of Mobile
Andrew Thames, University of Mobile
Johnathan Turner, University of Mobile
Henry Woodall, University of Mobile
Grant Holder, University of Mobile
Andrew Ayala, Blue Mountain Christian University
Jonah Barnhardt, Blue Mountain Christian University
Lelan Boulden, Blue Mountain Christian University
Lukas Dykes, Blue Mountain Christian University
Braxton Enzor    Blue Mountain Christian University
Erick Flores, Blue Mountain Christian University
Sammuel Hopper, Blue Mountain Christian University
Niklas Moilanen, William Carey University
Luke Skinner, William Carey University
Matthew McGuire, William Carey University
Julius Giller, William Carey University

Women's 6K Results

26. Meera Hijazi, 25:18.51
35. Sophia Freeze, 26:01.16
38. Caitlyn Summers, 26:12.19
42. Sela Myers, 26:53.13
43. Emma Meneses, 27:08.32
53. Andrea Bardales, 28:59.72
 

Men's 8K Results

7. Connor Meigs, 26:31.96
8. Jace Luckoski, 26:36.55
11. Cole Savoy, 26:47.75
12. Jacob Kennedy, 26:49.58
14. Dylan Brown, 26:53.15
16. Aubrey Gibson, 27:01.49
24. Alastair Casler, 27:40.15
25. Adam Merkle, 28:02.79
29. Drake Breland, 28:21.49
43. Elijah Reeves, 29:25.24