The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, November 1
College Station, Texas
9 AM
Ole Miss
vs
SEC Championships
Men’s Cross Country Third, Women Sixth at 2024 SEC Championships
11/1/2024 | Cross Country
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Ole Miss finished with four all-conference performances and a pair of solid team finishes to conclude the 2024 SEC Championships, held at Texas A&M's Watt's Cross Country Course on Friday morning.
The Ole Miss men took third in the championship 8K behind three All-SEC performances, an important last chance for resume padding ahead of the NCAA South Regional in two weeks. The Rebel women, meanwhile, finished sixth with 155 points in a tough championship 6K race, a mere five points behind No. 28 Texas (150).
"Today was a really nice step for both of our programs," said third-year Ole Miss cross country coach Adam Smith. "We asked people to step up today, and both the women and men came ready to run."
Junior Toby Gillen led the Rebel men for the third time this season, finishing in eighth with a 31-second 8K PR of 22:41.3. His performance earned Second-Team All-SEC honors for a second consecutive year, and he helped lead a pack of five scoring Rebels all within the top-50.
Finishing second for the Rebel men was senior LIU transfer Elyas Ayyoub, who took 12th place and Second-Team All-SEC honors in his first conference meet with a 57-second 8K career-best 23:00.6. Junior Maine transfer Evan Thornton-Sherman wasn't far behind, earning Third-Team honors in 15th place at 23:04.1 – a PR of one minute and six seconds in his first SEC meet as well.
Other Rebel men running on Friday were senior Aiden Britt (42nd, 23:41.9), junior Gabe Scales (49th, 23:48.0; 52-second PR), senior Jack Meijer (51st, 23:52.2), senior Benjamin Bayless (59th, 24:00.8; 14-second PR), senior Chase Rose (87th, 24:37.5; PR) and freshman Aidan Hodge (88th, 24:39.7; PR).
"(Today) was a day the guys in that locker room have been waiting for," Smith said. "Toby continued to be a low stick for us, but we had a great day out of Elyas and Evan to add some depth. We knew it was going to be a fast one today, so the boys put themselves in a good spot early on and moved up throughout the race. Gabe had a career day today as well to be our fifth, and Aiden, Jack, and Ben never stopped fighting and will help us more in the 10K at Regionals. After today, we are where we want to be heading into the postseason with some momentum."
The women's 6K started the championship festivities today, and leading the charge for the Rebel women was senior Loral Winn, who finished seventh overall for First-Team All-SEC honors – her third consecutive year making the All-SEC team. Winn hovered around tenth place for a duration of the race, then in the final stretch climbed to seventh at the line in 19:17.5. Winn's hard-fought finish marked her sixth career sub-20 6K time, the most by any Rebel woman in recorded program history.
The next-best finisher for the Ole Miss women was senior Madison Hulsey, who crossed the finish line at a 56-second PR of 20:04.9 for 34th place. She was followed by junior Beth Arentz (35th, 20:05.6; 39-second PR), junior Sarah Schiffmann (36th, 20:06.0), senior Emilia Mikszuta (44th, 20:14.0), junior Sophie Baumann (54th, 20:22.0), senior Ainhoa Brea (65th, 20:33.6; 37-second PR), junior Frances Luna (98th, 20:56.4; PR), sophomore Adie Luna (122nd, 21:18.6; PR) and junior Samantha Ouellette (168th, 22:28.2; 15-second PR).
"(The women) did a great job of picking ourselves back up from our last performance and giving ourselves a shot," Smith said. "Once we tighten a few things up, we will be in the mix for an NCAA spot at Regionals. Loral ran great up front, and Madison Hulsey had the race of her life today, so very pleased with that. Had a great pack behind them, just need to be further up in a few weeks to give ourselves a shot at heading to Madison."
Ole Miss now looks ahead to the NCAA South Regional in Tallahassee, Florida on Fri., Nov. 15, where tickets to Madison, Wisconsin for the NCAA Championships will be at stake for both the Rebel women and men.
Women's SEC Championship • 6K Team Scores
1. #7 Alabama – 72
2. Tennessee – 103
3. #14 Florida – 122
4. Arkansas – 132
5. #28 Texas – 150
6. Ole Miss – 155
7. LSU – 213
8. Auburn – 223
9. Vanderbilt – 253
10. Texas A&M – 269
11. Mississippi State – 273
12. Oklahoma – 283
13. Missouri – 291
14. South Carolina – 312
15. Kentucky – 318
16. Georgia – 487
Women's SEC Championship • 6K Individual Scores
7. Loral Winn – 19:17.5 – First-Team All-SEC
34. Madison Hulsey – 20:04.9 – 56-second PR
35. Beth Arentz – 20:05.6 – 39-second PR
36. Sarah Schiffmann – 20:06.0
44. Emilia Mikszuta – 20:14.0
54. Sophie Baumann – 20:22.0
65. Ainhoa Brea – 20:33.6 – 37-second PR
98. Frances Luna – 20:56.4 – PR
122. Adie Luna – 21:18.6 – PR
168. Samantha Ouellette – 22:28.2 – 15-second PR
Men's SEC Championship • 8K Team Scores
1. #3 Arkansas – 38
2. #11 Alabama – 52
3. Ole Miss – 122
4. Texas – 152
5. Missouri – 163
6. Tennessee – 169
7. Auburn – 175
8. Texas A&M – 207
9. Oklahoma – 221
10. Kentucky – 230
11. Georgia – 272
12. Florida – 319
13. Vanderbilt – 367
14. LSU – 396
Men's SEC Championship • 8K Individual Scores
8. Toby Gillen – 22:41.3 – Second-Team All-SEC – 31-second PR
12. Elyas Ayyoub – 23:00.6 – Second-Team All-SEC – 57-second PR
15. Evan Thornton-Sherman – 23:04.1 – Third-Team All-SEC –1:06-second PR
42. Aiden Britt – 23:41.9
49. Gabe Scales – 23:48.0 – 52-second PR
51. Jack Meijer – 23:52.2
59. Benjamin Bayless – 24:00.8 – 14-second PR
87. Chase Rose – 24:37.5 – PR
88. Aidan Hodge – 24:39.7 – PR
The Ole Miss men took third in the championship 8K behind three All-SEC performances, an important last chance for resume padding ahead of the NCAA South Regional in two weeks. The Rebel women, meanwhile, finished sixth with 155 points in a tough championship 6K race, a mere five points behind No. 28 Texas (150).
"Today was a really nice step for both of our programs," said third-year Ole Miss cross country coach Adam Smith. "We asked people to step up today, and both the women and men came ready to run."
Junior Toby Gillen led the Rebel men for the third time this season, finishing in eighth with a 31-second 8K PR of 22:41.3. His performance earned Second-Team All-SEC honors for a second consecutive year, and he helped lead a pack of five scoring Rebels all within the top-50.
Finishing second for the Rebel men was senior LIU transfer Elyas Ayyoub, who took 12th place and Second-Team All-SEC honors in his first conference meet with a 57-second 8K career-best 23:00.6. Junior Maine transfer Evan Thornton-Sherman wasn't far behind, earning Third-Team honors in 15th place at 23:04.1 – a PR of one minute and six seconds in his first SEC meet as well.
Other Rebel men running on Friday were senior Aiden Britt (42nd, 23:41.9), junior Gabe Scales (49th, 23:48.0; 52-second PR), senior Jack Meijer (51st, 23:52.2), senior Benjamin Bayless (59th, 24:00.8; 14-second PR), senior Chase Rose (87th, 24:37.5; PR) and freshman Aidan Hodge (88th, 24:39.7; PR).
"(Today) was a day the guys in that locker room have been waiting for," Smith said. "Toby continued to be a low stick for us, but we had a great day out of Elyas and Evan to add some depth. We knew it was going to be a fast one today, so the boys put themselves in a good spot early on and moved up throughout the race. Gabe had a career day today as well to be our fifth, and Aiden, Jack, and Ben never stopped fighting and will help us more in the 10K at Regionals. After today, we are where we want to be heading into the postseason with some momentum."
The women's 6K started the championship festivities today, and leading the charge for the Rebel women was senior Loral Winn, who finished seventh overall for First-Team All-SEC honors – her third consecutive year making the All-SEC team. Winn hovered around tenth place for a duration of the race, then in the final stretch climbed to seventh at the line in 19:17.5. Winn's hard-fought finish marked her sixth career sub-20 6K time, the most by any Rebel woman in recorded program history.
The next-best finisher for the Ole Miss women was senior Madison Hulsey, who crossed the finish line at a 56-second PR of 20:04.9 for 34th place. She was followed by junior Beth Arentz (35th, 20:05.6; 39-second PR), junior Sarah Schiffmann (36th, 20:06.0), senior Emilia Mikszuta (44th, 20:14.0), junior Sophie Baumann (54th, 20:22.0), senior Ainhoa Brea (65th, 20:33.6; 37-second PR), junior Frances Luna (98th, 20:56.4; PR), sophomore Adie Luna (122nd, 21:18.6; PR) and junior Samantha Ouellette (168th, 22:28.2; 15-second PR).
"(The women) did a great job of picking ourselves back up from our last performance and giving ourselves a shot," Smith said. "Once we tighten a few things up, we will be in the mix for an NCAA spot at Regionals. Loral ran great up front, and Madison Hulsey had the race of her life today, so very pleased with that. Had a great pack behind them, just need to be further up in a few weeks to give ourselves a shot at heading to Madison."
Ole Miss now looks ahead to the NCAA South Regional in Tallahassee, Florida on Fri., Nov. 15, where tickets to Madison, Wisconsin for the NCAA Championships will be at stake for both the Rebel women and men.
Women's SEC Championship • 6K Team Scores
1. #7 Alabama – 72
2. Tennessee – 103
3. #14 Florida – 122
4. Arkansas – 132
5. #28 Texas – 150
6. Ole Miss – 155
7. LSU – 213
8. Auburn – 223
9. Vanderbilt – 253
10. Texas A&M – 269
11. Mississippi State – 273
12. Oklahoma – 283
13. Missouri – 291
14. South Carolina – 312
15. Kentucky – 318
16. Georgia – 487
Women's SEC Championship • 6K Individual Scores
7. Loral Winn – 19:17.5 – First-Team All-SEC
34. Madison Hulsey – 20:04.9 – 56-second PR
35. Beth Arentz – 20:05.6 – 39-second PR
36. Sarah Schiffmann – 20:06.0
44. Emilia Mikszuta – 20:14.0
54. Sophie Baumann – 20:22.0
65. Ainhoa Brea – 20:33.6 – 37-second PR
98. Frances Luna – 20:56.4 – PR
122. Adie Luna – 21:18.6 – PR
168. Samantha Ouellette – 22:28.2 – 15-second PR
Men's SEC Championship • 8K Team Scores
1. #3 Arkansas – 38
2. #11 Alabama – 52
3. Ole Miss – 122
4. Texas – 152
5. Missouri – 163
6. Tennessee – 169
7. Auburn – 175
8. Texas A&M – 207
9. Oklahoma – 221
10. Kentucky – 230
11. Georgia – 272
12. Florida – 319
13. Vanderbilt – 367
14. LSU – 396
Men's SEC Championship • 8K Individual Scores
8. Toby Gillen – 22:41.3 – Second-Team All-SEC – 31-second PR
12. Elyas Ayyoub – 23:00.6 – Second-Team All-SEC – 57-second PR
15. Evan Thornton-Sherman – 23:04.1 – Third-Team All-SEC –1:06-second PR
42. Aiden Britt – 23:41.9
49. Gabe Scales – 23:48.0 – 52-second PR
51. Jack Meijer – 23:52.2
59. Benjamin Bayless – 24:00.8 – 14-second PR
87. Chase Rose – 24:37.5 – PR
88. Aidan Hodge – 24:39.7 – PR
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Who To Watch: Ole Miss Track and Field
Wednesday, October 08