The University of Mississippi Athletics
FEATURE: Men’s Cross Country’s Journey to Nationals
11/21/2024 | Cross Country
OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss men entered the conference meet with their backs against the wall, and with their postseason future in jeopardy.
Entering the 2024 season the Rebel men sat at No. 29 in the USTFCCCA Preseason Coach's Poll, after narrowly missing a team trip to the NCAA Championships a year prior. However, the men fell out of the rankings after a seventh-place finish at Missouri's Gans Creek Classic in late September.
The Rebel men hit the road in hopes of bouncing back at the national-caliber Pre-National meet in Wisconsin, but the Rebel men finished in 25th place heading into the SEC Championships.
With the remainder of their season on the line, the Rebel men answered the call with a crucial third-place finish at the conference meet – giving the team momentum and confidence for the road ahead. Knowing that SECs was one of their last chances to prove themselves, the Rebel men knew the importance of the meet.
"Looking back, it was definitely confidence that gave us this momentum," said Ole Miss junior Toby Gillen. "We kind of came together and we realized we had to give it our all, otherwise our dream of going to nationals is over."
The men put together a strong showing against tough competition at SECs with three All-SEC runners: Gillen (eighth), senior Elyas Ayyoub (12th) and junior Evan Thornton-Sherman (15th). Most impressive was Ayyoub, an LIU transfer who recorded a notable 57-second PR of 23:00.6 to secure Second-Team All-SEC honors. Ayyoub's standout performance at the conference meet not only established him as a key runner for the Rebel men, but also earned him SEC Newcomer of the Year.
"For (Ayyoub) to come into SECs and (run) second that day, it was insane," Gillen said. "For him especially it was momentum."
The Ole Miss men continued their success into the South Regional with a hard-fought performance, finishing in second place to snag an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Rebel men also finished with three All-region runners including: Gillen (sixth), Ayyoub (seventh) and senior Aiden Britt (13th).
"(Qualifying for NCAAs) has been everything for us," Gillen said. "Since we came onto campus at the start of August, this has been our entire goal as a team. We've gotten closer as a team as well, which has been huge for us. In terms of just achieving something like this together, all eight of us, is something we've been dreaming about for the past two months."
Gillen credits the team's success to the time spent together off the course, and that bonding has led to a spirit of all-around team leadership.
"We don't necessarily have a single leader," Gillen said. "We're all considered a leader in some way. It's a different approach for sure. I think we all kind of keep ourselves accountable as a team, make sure we're getting good sleep, getting the right amount of recovery, food, everything like that. I think of us as a very disciplined and confident team."
Although Gillen says that the Rebel men do not have a specified leader, his performance this season says otherwise. Gillen has led the pack for the Rebel men all season, recording a 22:41.3 in the SEC Championships 8K race – the fastest 8K by a Rebel men's runner since at least 2007 (in available records). Additionally, Gillen has earned Second-Team All-SEC honors and All-Region honors.
"Toby has been our low stick all year long," said Ole Miss cross country coach Adam Smith. "He knows if we're going to have a good team day, he's got to be in the mix up front. He has really brought over his confidence on the track to the grass this season, after an All-American spring season."
"SECs was a breakout race for him, and he used that to replicate his performance at Regionals," Smith continued. "Next week in Madison, we will do all we can to position (Gillen) for an All-American spot and earn some valuable team points for the Rebs."
The Rebel men will look ahead to the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Uninterrupted coverage on ESPNU begins at 8:30 a.m. CT, with the women's championship 6K set for 9:20 a.m. CT, and the men's championship 10K scheduled for 10:10 a.m. CT.
"We've got no pressure now, so we'll just go into the weekend and do our thing," Gillen said.
Entering the 2024 season the Rebel men sat at No. 29 in the USTFCCCA Preseason Coach's Poll, after narrowly missing a team trip to the NCAA Championships a year prior. However, the men fell out of the rankings after a seventh-place finish at Missouri's Gans Creek Classic in late September.
The Rebel men hit the road in hopes of bouncing back at the national-caliber Pre-National meet in Wisconsin, but the Rebel men finished in 25th place heading into the SEC Championships.
With the remainder of their season on the line, the Rebel men answered the call with a crucial third-place finish at the conference meet – giving the team momentum and confidence for the road ahead. Knowing that SECs was one of their last chances to prove themselves, the Rebel men knew the importance of the meet.
"Looking back, it was definitely confidence that gave us this momentum," said Ole Miss junior Toby Gillen. "We kind of came together and we realized we had to give it our all, otherwise our dream of going to nationals is over."
The men put together a strong showing against tough competition at SECs with three All-SEC runners: Gillen (eighth), senior Elyas Ayyoub (12th) and junior Evan Thornton-Sherman (15th). Most impressive was Ayyoub, an LIU transfer who recorded a notable 57-second PR of 23:00.6 to secure Second-Team All-SEC honors. Ayyoub's standout performance at the conference meet not only established him as a key runner for the Rebel men, but also earned him SEC Newcomer of the Year.
"For (Ayyoub) to come into SECs and (run) second that day, it was insane," Gillen said. "For him especially it was momentum."
The Ole Miss men continued their success into the South Regional with a hard-fought performance, finishing in second place to snag an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The Rebel men also finished with three All-region runners including: Gillen (sixth), Ayyoub (seventh) and senior Aiden Britt (13th).
"(Qualifying for NCAAs) has been everything for us," Gillen said. "Since we came onto campus at the start of August, this has been our entire goal as a team. We've gotten closer as a team as well, which has been huge for us. In terms of just achieving something like this together, all eight of us, is something we've been dreaming about for the past two months."
Gillen credits the team's success to the time spent together off the course, and that bonding has led to a spirit of all-around team leadership.
"We don't necessarily have a single leader," Gillen said. "We're all considered a leader in some way. It's a different approach for sure. I think we all kind of keep ourselves accountable as a team, make sure we're getting good sleep, getting the right amount of recovery, food, everything like that. I think of us as a very disciplined and confident team."
Although Gillen says that the Rebel men do not have a specified leader, his performance this season says otherwise. Gillen has led the pack for the Rebel men all season, recording a 22:41.3 in the SEC Championships 8K race – the fastest 8K by a Rebel men's runner since at least 2007 (in available records). Additionally, Gillen has earned Second-Team All-SEC honors and All-Region honors.
"Toby has been our low stick all year long," said Ole Miss cross country coach Adam Smith. "He knows if we're going to have a good team day, he's got to be in the mix up front. He has really brought over his confidence on the track to the grass this season, after an All-American spring season."
"SECs was a breakout race for him, and he used that to replicate his performance at Regionals," Smith continued. "Next week in Madison, we will do all we can to position (Gillen) for an All-American spot and earn some valuable team points for the Rebs."
The Rebel men will look ahead to the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Uninterrupted coverage on ESPNU begins at 8:30 a.m. CT, with the women's championship 6K set for 9:20 a.m. CT, and the men's championship 10K scheduled for 10:10 a.m. CT.
"We've got no pressure now, so we'll just go into the weekend and do our thing," Gillen said.
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