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Cross Country finish Top 10 in NCAA Regional Championships

2009-11-07

DOVER, Fla. - Both Valdosta State's men and women's cross country squads placed in the top 10 in the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Championships on Saturday. For the women's squad, Angelina Horne led the Lady Blazers with a time of 23:55 placing 21st. Jordanne Helton placed 28th with a recorded time of 24:12 while Ashley Luther finished 38th with a time of 25:07. Neka Gibbs had a time of 26:19 and placed 60th as Tiffany Zuganelis was not too far behind placing 71st with a time of 26:56. Ashley Hiott rounded out the Lady Blazers on Saturday with a time of 29:03 finishing in 87th place. As a squad, the Lady Blazers placed 10th out of 14 with 219 total points. The average time for the squad was 25:18. Tampa University claimed 1st place with 32 total points and Harding University finished in a close 2nd with 47 total points. Flordia Tech's Sara Trane claimed 1st place with a recorded time of 21:37. The men's squad finished 9th out of 15 with 258 total points. The Blazers average time was 35:13. Harding University placed 1st with 48 total points while Florida Southern College placed 2nd with 89 total points. Daniel Kirwa from Harding University finished 1st with a recorded time of 31:10. For the Blazers, Chris Rice led the Blazers by finishing 35th with a recorded time of 34:29. Alan McGough recorded a time of 34:50 finishing in 44th place. DJ Smith had a good race with a time of 35:11 placing 54th. Brandon Joyner placed 62nd with a time of 35:45 while Corey Stejback finished only a second behind him in 63rd. Austin McDonald rounded out the Blazers showing on Saturday with a time of 39:05 finishing 91st. Both the men and women's ended their 2009 season strong and will be ready to get back into action in 2010.

Cross Country races in GSC Championship

2009-10-24

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Valdosta State women's cross country placed 7th while the men's cross country team placed 8th in the Gulf South Conference Championship on Saturday. For the women's squad Angelina Horne had the best finish for the Lady Blazers finishing 11th with a time of 19:57. Ashley Luther placed 30th with a recorded time of 20:56 while Jordanne Helton was six seconds behind placing 32nd. Neka Gibbs finished 60th with a time of 22:33 and Ashley Hiott placed 63rd with a time of 22:51. Tiffany Zuganelis rounded out the day for the Lady Blazers placing 67th with a time of 23:03. As a squad, VSU had a total of 188 points placing 7th out of 14 squads. Harding University took 1st place with a total of 20 points with taking first through fifth place. University of West Florida came in 2nd place with a total of 85 points. Harding University's Katy Grant took 1st place with a time of 18:40. As for the men's squad, VSU placed 8th out of 11 squads with a total of 205 points. Harding University took 1st place with a total of 31 points. University of West Georgia came in 2nd place with a total of 68 points. Harding University's Daniel Kirwa claimed 1st place. For the men's squad, Chris Rice led the Blazers by placing 25th with a time of 27:38. Alan McGough placed 44th with a time of 28:27 while DJ Smith was just behind him placing 46th in a time of 28:35. Corey Stejback finished the Blazers top 50 finished by placing 50th with a time of 28:49. Brandon Joyner placed 53rd with a time of 29:05 and Steve Cary placed 56th with a time of 29:14. Austin McDonald placed 59th with a time of 29:28 while Juan Tejada (29:46,64th) and Terence Boyd (30:34,71st) rounded out the Blazers showing on Saturday. Both women and men's cross country squads will return to action in the NCAA South Regional in Tampa, Fla. on November 7.

Blazers finish strong at Stampede

2009-10-03

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The Valdosta State's men cross country team placed 5th and the women's cross country team placed 8th on Saturday at the Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede. For the women's squad Angelina Horne and Jordanne Helton started the day with top 25 finishes. Angelina Horne recorded a time of 19:22 placing 17th while Jordanne Helton recorded a time of 19:39 and placed 24th. Ashley Luther placed 40th with a time of 20:36, and Neka Gibbs recorded a time of 21:38. Tiffany Zuganelis placed 72nd with a time of 22:50, and Andrea Smith rounded out the Lady Blazers placing 92nd with a time of 27:33. As a squad, VSU had a total of 181 points and placed 8th out of 12 squads. University of Southern Mississippi took first place with a total of 45 points and University of South Alabama was only 50 points behind in 2nd place. Troy University's Sylvia Chirchir finished 1st place with a time of 18:09. The men's squad had a total of 143 points and finished 5th out of 11 in the 8k race. University of South Alabama finished 1st place with 19 total points with Troy University coming in 2nd with a total of 58 points. University of South Alabama's Micah Tirop claimed 1st with a time of 24:42. For the men's squad, VSU had 6 top 50 finishes. Chris Rice led the men's squad with a time of 27:23 placing 24th. Alan McGough recorded a time of 27:48 placing 28th while Steve Cary placed 32nd with a time of 28:01. Austin McDonald was only 7 seconds behind placing 35th while DJ Smith finished 38th with a time of 28:33. Terence Boyd rounded out the Blazers top 50 finished by placing 49th with a time of 29:03. Juan Tejada (30:01), Kenny Brooks (30:07), and Daniel McCormick (31:14)finished the Blazers showing in Pensacola, Florida on Saturday. Both men and women's squads will return to action in GCS Championship in Birmingham, Alabama on October 24.

Blazers race strong in Macon

2009-09-26

MACON, Ga. - The Valdosta State men's cross country team raced to 7th place, and the women's cross country team raced to 10th place at the Mercer Run Fit Sports Invitational Saturday. For the women's squad Angelina Horne recorded a time of 20:34 to finish 15th overall while Jordanne Helton was just a minute and 20 seconds back in 18th place. Andrea Smith placed 38th with a time of 22:52 and Neka Gibbs was 88th in a time of 25:23. Tiffany Zuganelis came in 106th with a time of 26:22 while Ashley Hiott rounded out the Lady Blazer squad in 123rd place with a time of 27:19. As a squad, VSU finished with 251 points placing 10th out of 20 squads. Kennesaw State's MacKenzie Howe claimed first place with a time of 17:56. Kennesaw State won the men's meet with 37 points followed by Columbus State in 2nd with 52 points and Valdosta State was not too far behind in 7th place with 223 points. Columbus State's Meshack Koyiaki took first place with a time of 24:57. For the Blazers, Chris Rice finished 23rd overall with a time of 28:11 while Terence Boyd was 48th at 29:23. Steven Cary was two seconds behind and finished 49th while DJ Smith placed 58th with a time of 29:40. Brandon Joyner came home in a time of 30:22 to finish 77th while Austin McDonald (30:39), Marc Kasier (32:11), Kenny Brooks (32:48), Patrick McGough (33:18), and Daniel McCormick (35:06) rounded out the Blazers squad. The Blazers and Lady Blazers return to action next weekend when they travel to Pensacola, Fla for the Gulf Coast Stampede.

Blazers Have Great Finish in Huntsville

2009-09-12

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Valdosta State women's cross country team placed 8th and the men's cross country team finished 5th this weekend at the Fleet Feet/ Earl Jacoby Memorial Invitational. The women's squad finished the day strong, Angelina Horne recorded a time of 20:18 to finish 16th overall while Ashley Luther was less than a minute behind in 29th place. Neka Gibbs placed 41st with a time of 22:11 and Tiffany Zuganelis was 51st in a time of 23:05. Ashley Hiott came home 58th in a time 23:48, and Andrea Smith rounded the Lady Blazer squad with a showing of 73rd. As a squad VSU finished with a total of 195 points beating North Alabama by 42 points. UAB's Rhiannon Johns claimed first place with a time of 18:22. UAH won the men's 8K meet with 54 points followed by Alabama State in 2nd with 67 points. The Blazers were not far behind in 5th place with a total of 116 points. Jacksonville State's David Nilsson claimed first place with a time of 25:15. For the Blazers, Chris Rice finished 10th overall with a time of 27:46 while Austin McDonald was 21st at 28:23. DJ Smith was four seconds behind and finshed 23rd while Steven Cary placed 30th with a time of 29:27. Cory Stejback came home in a time of 29:44 to finish 32nd while Terence Boyd (30:24), Kenny Brooks (31:00), and Juan Tejada (31:43) all tallied Top 50 finishes for VSU. The Blazers and Lady Blazers return to action September 26th when they travel to Macon, Ga. for the Georgia State Intercollegiate.

Cross Country races in Memphis

2009-09-05

MEMPHIS, TENN. - The Valdosta State men's cross country team raced to fourteenth place and women%u2019s cross country team raced to sixteenth place at the Brooks Memphis Twilight XC Classic Saturday. The women's squad opened the day with a few of top 100 finishes as Angelia Horne recorded the team's best time of 20:08 to finish 48th, with 11 seconds behind Jordanne Helton recorded a time of 20:19 to finish 56th while Ashley Luther finished in 89th with a time of 21:43. Ashley Hiott placed 103th with a time of 22:15 and Neka Gibbs finished two second behind in 104th. Tiffany Zuganelis placed 114th, Ashley Claaseen finished 128th, and Andrea Smith rounded out the Lady Blazers squad showing on Saturday. As a squad, VSU finished with 400 points and an average time 21:21. Arkansas Tech University's Bailee Miller claimed individual medalist honors with a time of 18:23, and Samford University claimed team honors with 48 points. University of South Alabama won the men%u2019s 4 mile race with 43 points. Ole Miss' Barnabas Kirui claimed individual medalist with a time of 19:00. For the Blazers, Chris Rice finished 57th with a recorded time of 21:57 while Alan McGough finished 75th with a time of 22:18. Austin McDonald was just 10 seconds behind with a finish of 81st. D.J. Smith recorded a time of 22:48 in 93rd, and two seconds behind with a finish of 94th was Steven Cary. Terence Boyd finished 119th with a recorded time of 23:40 while Corey Stejback finished 120th with a time of 23:43. Kenny Brooks, Daniel McCormick, Marc Kaiser rounded out the Blazers showing on with top 150 finishes for VSU. The Blazers and Lady Blazers return to action next weekend when they travel to Huntsville, Ala. for the Fleet Feet Sports/ Earl Jacoby Memorial.

Christopher Rice Named Cross Country Runner of the Week

2009-09-02

Valdosta, Ga. - Christopher Rice was named the GSC Cross Country Runner of the Week last week after having a solid performance at the Erskine Invitational. Although he got off to a slow start, Rice finished the 6k course in less than 21 minutes. Rice finished in 6th place with a time of 20.42. He led Valdosta State University to place 3rd in the competition. Rice returns to action next weekend at the Fleet Feet Sports/ Earl Jacoby Memorial in Huntsville, Ala.

Cross Country Races to Third

2009-08-29

DUE WEST, S.C. - Both the Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams raced to third place finishes at the Erskine Invitational Saturday. Both squads competed on a European style course, with the women's race covering 4K (2.48 miles) while the men's race travelled 6K (3.72 miles). The women's squad opened the day with a pair of top 10 finishes as Jordanne Helton recorded a time of 16:40 to finish fifth overall while Angelina Horne was just four seconds back and in sixth place. Ashley Luther placed 17th with a time of 17:42 and Kaynekka Gibbs was 20th in a time of 17:59. Ashley Hiott came home 28th in a time of 18:40 while Tiffany Zuganelis was 18 seconds back and in 31st. Ashley Claassen and Andrea Smith rounded out the Lady Blazer squad with showings of 51st and 65th. As a squad, VSU finished with 71 points, just 19 behind Pfeiffer who claimed team honors with 52 points. Spartanburg Methodist's Rosa Young claimed individual medalist honors with a time of 16:12. Mars Hill won the men's meet with 43 points, followed by host Erskine in second with 51 and the Blazers in third with 64. Erskine's Adam Groblewski defended his home turf as he ran a time of 19:49 to claim medalist honors. For the Blazers, Chris Rice finished sixth overall with a time of 20:42 while Austin McDonald was ninth at 21:12. Alan McGough was a second behind and finished 10th while Steve Cary placed 15th with a time of 21:44. Corey Stejback came home in a time of 22:42 to finish 25th while Terence Boyd (23:17, Kenny Brooks (23:33), Marc Kaiser (24:49) and Daniel McCormick (24:53) all tallied Top 50 finishes for VSU. The Blazers and Lady Blazers return to action next weekend when they travel to Memphis, Tenn. For the Christian Brother Twilight Invitational.

Blazers Repeat as GSC All-Sports Champs

2009-05-12

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Valdosta State repeated as the Gulf South Conference All-Sports Champions. West Florida took the women's award while the Blazers claimed the men's spot. Both teams were the first to repeat since Jacksonville State in 1992-93. Valdosta State is the first men's team to repeat since North Alabama in 1994-96. The Blazers are only the sixth men's team to repeat since the inception of the award. This marks VSU's sixth time to win the award. The red and black finished with 60 points while Harding came in second with 50. No other team broke the 50-point barrier. Men's tennis won the Gulf South Conference Championship to help the Blazers earn the award while basketball and baseball both finished second in the GSC. Football was third while golf finished fourth. The Lady Blazers finished fifth in the running for the All-Sports award.

Blazers Using Track Events to Prepare for 2009

2009-03-24

VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State cross country teams have begun preparation for the 2009 fall season by competing in various track meets throughout the Southeast this spring. The Blazers and Lady Blazers began the season in Smiths Station, Ala. on March 7 where members of the squad competed in the 1500 meter and 3000 meter events. Brandon Joyner paced VSU in the 1500 with a time of 4:27.52 while Steve Cary was three seconds behind at 4:30.92. Alan McGough came home in a time of 4:40.19 while Daniel McCormick finished in a time of 4:55.96. In the 3000 meter race, Cary paced the Blazers with a time of 9:26.06 while Chris Rice was four seconds back in a time of 9:30.15. Austin McDonald finished in a time of 9:38.41 followed by Joyner with a time of 9:45.17 and Corey Stejback in 9:59.48. On the women's side, Andrea Smith competed and finished in a time of 15:27.79. The men's team next traveled to Tampa, Fla. to compete in the Tampa Invitational on March 13. Joyner finished fourth in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:02.89 while finishing fifth in the 1500 meters at 4:18.80. Juan Tejada also ran in the 1500M, finishing in a time of 4:39.23. Cary led the Blazer charge in the 5000M as he ran a time of 16:31.70 while McDonald finished in a time of 16:44.95. Rice and Stejback also competed, finishing with times of 16:58.54 and 17:15.43, respectively. The men also competed in the Mercer Open Track and Field Distant Classic on March 21. Rice claimed victory in three events on the day as he won the 800M in a time of 1:57.2 while teaming with McDonald, Joyner and Cary to claim victory in the Distance Medley (11:24) and the 4x1600M (19:25.7). Joyner led VSU with a fifth place finish in the mile with a time of 4:49.4 and finished 10th in the 5000M with a time of 18:13. Stejback and McGough also competed in the mile, finishing in times of 4:52.3 and 4:54.5, respectively, while D.J. Smith finished fifth in the 5000M in a time of 16:47. McCormick also competed in the 5000M, finishing 11th in a time of 19:24. The two squads next travel to Statesboro, Ga. to compete in the Georgia Southern Invitational March 28.

Cross Country Runs in NCAA South Regional Championship

2008-11-08

SEARCY, Ark.-The Valdosta State University cross country team ran in the NCAA Division II South Region Cross-Country Championship Saturday, November 8, where the men placed fourteenth and the women placed twelfth. The men's team ran a very successful 10k race at the Wyldewood Retreat Center in Searcy, Arkansas. The team finished fourteenth out of seventeen teams with a total of 349 points. DJ Smith was the top male Blazer finisher with a time of 35:37 and finished 63rd overall. Finishing second for the team was Steve Cary with a time of 35:53 in 67th place overall. Alan McGough finished with a time of 36:04 in third place for the team and 71st overall. Chris Rice finished with a time of 36:14 in fourth place for the team and 73rd overall, and was closely followed by teammate Juan Tejada fifth for the team and 75th overall with a time of 36:16. Finishing sixth for the male Blazers was Brandon Joyner with a time of 36:51 in 87th place overall. Rounding out the team was Austin McDonald in seventh place and 91st overall with a time of 37:19. The women's team finished an impressive 6k race in twelfth place out of the eighteen teams running with a total of 320 points. Jordanne Helton was the top lady Blazer to finish with a time of 24:31 and finished 34th overall. Kaynekka Gibbs ran a time of 25:40 and finished second on the team and 55th overall. Finishing third for the team and 60th overall was Alecia Beck with a time of 26:00. Tiffany Zuganelis finished with a time of 26:54, fourth on the team and 77th overall. Ashley Hiott finished fifth for the team and 94th overall with a time of 27:46. Rounding out the women's team was Andrea Smith in 6th place for the team and 115th overall with a time of 32:43.

Cross Country at GSC Championships

2008-10-24

Birmingham, Ala.- The Valdosta State University cross country team ran in the Gulf South Conference Championships today where the men placed eighth and the women placed tenth. The men's team finished eighth out of eleven teams. Finishing first for the men's team was DJ Smith with a time of 28.16 placing 33rd out of 73 competitors. Chris Rice finished 38th with a time of 28.38. Steve Cary finished 40th with a time of 28.45.Juan Tejada finished 50th with a time of 29.25. Austin McDonald placed 53rd with of a time of 29.28 followed by Brandon Joyner in 54th with a time of 29.30. The Blazer's had a score of 206 points and their total time was 2:24:11. The top female finisher for the Lady Blazers was freshman Jordanne Helton who placed 27th out of 93 runners with a time of 20:32. Nika Gibbs finished 41st with a time of 21:25. Alecia Beck finished 50th with a time of 21:46. Tiffany Zunganelis finished 64th for the Lady Blazers with a time of 22:41. Ashley Hiott finished in 72nd running a time of 23:13. Rounding out the women's team was Andrea Smith in 90th with a time of 27:15. The team placed tenth out of fourteen teams. The team's total time was 1:49:39 with a total of 254 points. Both teams return to action Saturday, November 8 in the NCAA South Regional that will be held in Searcy, Arkansas.

VSU Runs In Disney Invitational

2008-10-11

Lake Buena Vista, Fla.- The Valdosta State University cross country team ran in the Disney Invitational this weekend and the men placed twenty-first and the women placed twenty-fifth. The men's team finished in twenty-first out thirty-eight teams. The first finisher for the men's team was DJ Smith with a time of 28.09 in 116th out of 324 competitors. Chris Rice finished 133rd with a time of 28.34. Juan Tejada finished 152nd with a time of 28.57 closely followed by teammate Austin McDonald in 156th with of a time of 29.01 and Brandon Joyner in 157th with a time of 29.02. Steve Cary finished 167th with a time of 29.01. Finishing with a time of 29.27 in 167th was Corey Stejback followed by Alan McGough with a time of 30.17 in 199th place. Patrick McGough finished in 215th with a time of 30.48, and Daniel McCormick finished in 258yh with a time of 32.28. Rounding out the men's Blazer team was Marc Kaiser with a time of 33.24 in 270th place overall. On the women's side the top female finisher was Jordanne Helton in 84th out of 353 runners with a time of 19.40. Nika Gibbs finished 165th with a time of 21:14. Alecia Beck finished 177th with a time of 21:35. Ashley Hiott finished in 230th running a time of 22:47. Rounding out the women's team was Andrea Smith in 325th with a time of 26:51. The team placed twenty-fifth out of forty-four teams. The team averaged 21:32.62 - a new season's best for the team. Both teams return to action Friday, October 24 in the GSC Championship that will be held in Birmingham, Alabama.

VSU Cross Country Team Runs in Mercer Invitational

2008-09-28

Macon, Ga.- The Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams ran in the Mercer Invitational on Saturday, with the men's team fininshing ninth out of twenty teams and the women's team finishing fifteenth out of twenty teams. The men's team ran a very successful race with nine out of the ten men racing running their personal best times. Seven men on the team broke twenty-nine minutes in this 8k. "The men are obviously running faster each week, a sign of progress," says Coach Smoot. DJ Smith was the top Blazer finisher with a time of 27.49 in 52nd place out of a total of 179 runners. Freshman, Austin McDonald finished in 55th place running a time of 27.59. Chris Rice ran a time of 28.03 and placed 57th. Juan Tejada ran a time of 28.13 in 66th place and was closely followed by teammate, Steve Cary in 70th place with a time of 28.17. With a time of 28.27 in 75th place was Brandon Joyner followed by Corey Stejback in 92nd place wih a time of 28.57. Other Blazer finishers include Patrick McGough (29.45) in 118th, Daniel McCormick (30.42) in 139th, and Marc Kaiser (31.20) in 150th. The women's team ran a successful 5k race in Macon, Ga. against twenty other teams and finished fifteenth overall. The top five Blazer women averaged 22.07 for the 5K distance and four women broke twenty-two minutes which is double the usual. The women's team have shown "great progress over the season", Coach Smoot commented. The top Blazer finiser for the women was Freshman Jordanne Helton, with a time of 19.47 and finished in 28th place out of 165 finishers. Neka Gibbs ran a time of 21.25 finishing 76th and was closely followed by teammate Alecia Beck who finished 79th with a time 21.32. Finishing with a time of 21.44 in 83rd place was Ashley Hiott. Rounding out the women's team was Andrea Smith who ran a time of 26.07 and finished 148th. Both Blazer teams return to action in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. on Saturday, October 11, at the Disney Invitational.

Men's Cross Country Regionally Ranked

2008-09-25

Valdosta, Ga.- The Valdosta State University men's cross country team was ranked 10th in the U.S. Cross Country Coaches Division II Southeast Regional Rankings. The rankings were released on September 23, 2008 only a few days after runnig in the UAH Invitational. The men's team ran a very accomplished 8k race with all runners finishing under thirty minutes. There are five other teams from the Gulf South Conference in the top ten including Harding, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Christian Brothers, West Georgia, and West Florida. The Valdosta State Men's cross country team has not been previously ranked regionally. Todd Smoot, who is in his first year of coaching for the VSU cross country team, is "proud of the work and accomplishments of each person on the men's team". He goes on to remind the team that "this is no time to rest on our laurels, but this is also not the time to over do it, or work. We will stay the plan, the team will work hard when they need to and will recover when they need to". Both, the Men's and Women's cross country teams return to action Saturday, September 27th at the Georgia State Meet in Macon, Ga.

Blazers Run at UAH Invitational

2008-09-20

Huntsville, Ala. - The Valdosta State men's and women's Cross Country teams ran in the UAH Invitational on Saturday, with the men's team fininshing fourth out of ten teams and the women's team finishing seventh out of twelve teams. The men's team ran a very accomplished 8k race with all runners finishing under thirty minutes, as well as, placing ahead of Morehouse College who was ranked seventh nationally in the pre-season. DJ Smith was the top Blazer finisher running a time of 28:07 and placed 19th overall. Austin McDonald ran a time of 28.12 and finished 21st. Finishing 26th overall was Chris Rice with a time of 28.29 and was closely followed by teammate Steve Cary in 28th place with a time of 28.36. Rounding out the top five Blazer finishers was Alan McGough in 36th with a time of 28.53. Brandon Joyner finished with a time of 29.11 in 41st and Juan Tejada ran a time of 29.58 and finished in 47th place overall. The women's team ran a successful 5k race in Huntsville, Alabama against eleven other teams and finished seventh overall. The top female Blazer to finish was Freshman Jordanne Helton with a personal best of 20.01 finishing 14th overall. Kaynneka Gibbs finished the race in 35th place with a time of 21.39. Alecia Beck ran a strong race with a time of 22.09 and finished 39th overall. Finishing with a time of 22.46 in 48th place was Ashley Hiott. Rounding out the female Blazers was Andrea Smith with a time of 26.40 in 69th place. Coach Smoot was extremely pleased with the outcome of the UAH Invitational and how the Blazers finished. "The team has been progressing since the previous two meets and continues to run strong", remarks Coach Smoot and looks forward to the teams next meet Saturday, Sep 27th in Macon, Ga at the Georgia State Meet.

Cross Country Runs in UT Early Bird Classic

2008-09-06

Tampa, Fl. - The Valdosta State men's and women's Cross Country teams ran in the UT Early Bird Classic on Friday, with the men's team fininshing fourth out of twelve teams and the women's team finishing sixth out of twelve teams. On the men's side, DJ Smith was the top Blazer finisher running a time of 22:40 and placed 19th. Alan McGough finished in 23rd place with a time of 23:12, followed by Chris Rice with a time of 23:24 finishing 26th. Steve Cary ran a time of 23:35 and came in 28th while fellow teammate Brandon Joyner followed with a time of 23:43 finishing 30th. Juan Tejada finished 35th with a time of 24:14, followed by Corey Stejback finishing with a time of 24:37 in 42nd. Other finishers include, Austin McDonald (24:46), Marc Kaiser (26:03), Patrick McGough (26:30). The Valdosta State men's team finished fourth out of twelve teams with 126 points. On the women's side, Jordanne Helton was the top Blazer to finish with a time of 20:08 while finishing 13th. Tiffany Zuganelis finished with a time of 21:43 finishing 20th, followed closely by teammate Ashley Hiott in 22nd with a time of 21:49. Alecia Beck finished with a time of 22:03 in 26th place, and Andrea Smith finished with a time of 26:06 in 57th. The women's team scored a total or 126 points while finishing sixth out of twelve teams. Both Blazer teams return to action September 20, 2008 to compete in the UAH Invitational in Huntsville, Al.

Cross Country Runs at Appalachian State

2008-08-29

BOONE, NC. - The Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams finished twelfth out of twelve teams, Friday at the ASU Covered Bridge Open. The Blazer men's and women's teams showed vast improvement from last season. On the men's side, DJ Smith was the top Blazer finisher running a time of 28:34. Austin McDonald ran a time of 28:50, followed by Alan McGough (29:25). Chris Rice ran a time of 29:36 and was closely followed by Juan Tejada with a time of 29:38. Rounding out the men's team were runners Steve Cary (30:14) and Brandon Joyner (30:24). On the women's side, Jordanne Helton finished first for the Blazers with a time of 20:58. Kaynneka Gibbs finished with a time of 22:37 followed closely by Tiffany Zuganelis with a time of 22:50. Rounding out the women's team were runners Alecia Beck (23:02) and Ashley Hiott (24:00). Both Blazer squads return to action next Friday Tampa, Fla.

Todd Smoot Named Head Cross Country Coach

2008-01-29

Valdosta, Ga. - Valdosta State University has named Todd Smoot head men's and women's cross country coach, according to an announcement made by VSU Athletic Director Herb Reinhard Tuesday. Smoot brings a vast amount of knowledge to his new position as he has been involved with competitive running for more than 30 years. His experiences cover all aspects of the running world, from competitor to coach to official, as well as all distances between one mile and the marathon. "We are excited about adding Todd Smoot to our coaching staff," said Reinhard in making the announcement. "He has a tremendous background in the sport of cross country and a large number of contacts that should prove to be beneficial in the area of recruiting." Smoot and his wife Alice have spent the last two and a half years as owners of Get Active Running and More, a running specialty store in Valdosta. Additionally, Smoot writes a weekly fitness column for the Valdosta Daily Times and hosts a weekly fitness talk show on Talk 92.1. Additionally, he has served as event coordinator for numerous races in the South Georgia area. Prior to moving to Valdosta, Smoot was active in the running scene in Atlanta, were he served terms as both Vice President and President of the Chattahoochee Road Runners Club. He worked numerous competitive events in Atlanta, including the United States Track and Field State and Regional meets as well as several Georgia High School Association Regional Meets. His experiences in both Valdosta and Atlanta have also included coaching several high school runners to personal-best times. Smoot's coaching experience also includes experience on the national level as he helped his wife reach the 1992 Olympic Marathon Trials. She established a personal-best time of 2:44:15 for the marathon under his guidance. Additionally, he spent the 1985 and 1986 season as a high school coach in Mississippi, where he directed his squad to a second-place showing in the state cross country meet. In addition to coaching, Smoot also has more than 20 years of competitive running experience. He competed collegiately at North Carolina State University, where he earned letters in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. He also competed on a national level from 1987 through 1992 and was ranked nationally each season. Smoot retired from competitive running in 1992, but returned to the sport in 2005. He earned All-America status in the 10,000 meter run in 2007 after registering a time of 35:29.2, the fifth-best mark in the nation in the 45 to 49 age group. Additionally, he qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of 2:44:28 at the Snickers Marathon in Albany, Ga. Smoot, 45, replaces Craig Barnes, who announced his retirement after the 2007 season. "We appreciate what Craig has done for our men's and women's cross country programs and his efforts on behalf of our cross country student-athletes," Reinhard concluded.

Blazers Run at GSC Championships

2007-10-23

HOOVER, Ala. - The Valdosta State cross country teams competed at the Gulf South Conference Championships Sunday, with the men finishing eighth out of 11 teams while the women were 11th out of 15. The men's team tallied 210 points and were led by Justin Romaine, who finished 37th in a time of 29:13. Alan McGough followed in 41st in a time of 29:37, just tenths of a second better than Brandon Joyner, who finished 42nd with the same time. Juan Tejada was five seconds behind the duo in 43rd and Steve Cary finished 47th in a time of 29:50. Chris Holland finished 52nd with a time of 30:24 and Daniel McCormick completed the 8k course in a time of 32:18 to finish 60th. Alabama-Huntsville scored 40 points to claim the team championship while Harding's James Cheruiyot claimed the individual title in a time of 25:35. Ashley Hiott finished 48th with a time of 21:42 to lead the Lady Blazer squad, which tallied 328 points. Kaynekka Gibbs was 62nd in 22:17 followed by Heather McLure was 64th in a time of 22:22. Alecia Beck followed in 71st in a time of 23:04 and Laura Carpenter was 83rd at 24:01 while Andrea Smith finished 97th in a time of 28:35. Harding tallied 31 total points to edge UAH by a single point for the team championship on the women's side while UH's Janee Jones claimed the individual title in a time of 18:08. The Blazers return to action Saturday, November 3 when they compete in the NCAA South Regional in Huntsville, Ala.

Cross Country Competes at Disney Classic

2007-10-07

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Valdosta State cross country teams competed at the Disney Classic Saturday, with the women finishing 31st and the men 27th. The Lady Blazers finished with 874 points to defeat 19 of the 50 teams that competed in the event. Ashley Hiott led the Blazers for the fourth-straight race as she completed the 5K course in a time of 20:53 to finish 142nd. Kaynekka Gibbs was 174th in a time of 21:24 while Heather McLure was 12 seconds behind in 184th. Alecia Beck tallied a 253-place finish with a time of 23:01 and Laura Carpenter finished 276th with a time of 23:26 while Andrea Smith finished 355th in 29:02. Tampa's Laura Woznicki claimed the individual title with a time of 17:41 while leading her school to the overall title with 91 points. Among the 50 schools that competed, 366 runners took part in the event. On the men's side, VSU tallied 731 total points to defeat 18 teams. Juan Tejada led VSU with a time of 28:42 to finish in 133rd while Justin Romaine was 160th in 29:09. Brandon Joyner finished two spots behind in a time of 29:10 while Alan McGough was 166th at 29:54. Steve Cary also tallied a Top 200 finish, finishing 190th with a time of 30:09 and Chris Holland was 242nd in a time of 31:46 while Daniel McCormick rounded out the Blazer contingent with a time of 32:28 to finish 250th. A total of 327 runners from 45 teams took part in the 8k event, which was won by South Dakota with 108 points. Nicolas Kering of Chattahoochee Tech claimed the individual title in a time of 25:04. The Blazers return to action Saturday, October 20th when they compete in the Gulf South Conference Championships in Hoover, Ala.

Blazers Run at Georgia Collegiate Meet

2007-09-30

MACON, Ga. - Valdosta State competed at the Georgia Collegiates Saturday, with the men finishing sixth out of 13 teams while the women came home seventh out of 13 schools. The men tallied 172 points to finish 100 points behind champion Clayton State. Juan Tejada led the Blazers for the second straight race, finishing 24th while Brandon Joyner was 34th. Alan McGough was two spots behind in 36th followed by Steve Cary in 40th and Justin Romaine in 43rd. Chris Holland tallied a 57th place showing while Justin Hergert was 74th and Daniel McCormick 79th. On the women's side, VSU tallied 224 points in a race won by Mercer. Ashley Hiott finished 13th in the event followed by Heather McLure in 40th and Kaynekka Gibbs in 53rd. Alecia Beck came home in 69th followed by Laura Carpenter in 88th and Andrea Smith in 108th. The Blazers return to action next Saturday, October 6 when they compete in the Disney Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Cross Country Competes at Embry-Riddle Classic

2007-09-22

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Valdosta State cross country teams competed in the Embry-Riddle Classic Saturday, with the men's team finishing fourth out of 13 teams while the women compiled a sixth-place showing out of 12 teams. The men's team tallied 151 points while Embry-Riddle finished with 21 to win the event. Juan Tejada led the Blazers with a 28-place showing in a time of 30:06 while Alan McGough was 36th (30:45). Steve Cary completed the 8K course in a time of 31:05 to finish 41st while Brandon Joyner was 46th with a time of 31:23. Chris Gaither was 54th (32:01), Chris Holland 66th (33:03), Daniel McCormick 80th (34:28) and Justin Hergert 82nd (35:17). The women's team finished with 157 points while Embry-Riddle claimed the title with 31 points. Ashley Hiott led the Lady Blazers with a time of 22:16 to finish in 18th place while Kaynekka Gibbs was 20th in a time of 22:28. Heather McLure compiled a time of 22:57 to finish 29th while Alecia Beck was 62nd in a time of 25:26. Laura Carpenter was right behind in 63rd with a time of 25:43 and Andrea Smith was 86th at 31:00. Valdosta State returns to action next Saturday, September 29 when it takes part in the Georgia Collegiates in Macon.

Cross Country Competes at Albany Invite

2007-09-15

Albany, Ga.- The Valdosta State cross country competed at the Albany State Invitational on Saturday, September 15. The men's team finished first out of five teams while the women came in second out of four teams. The men's team came in first, followed by Fort Valley State, Albany State, Morehouse and Edward Waters, while tallying 17 points. The women came in second, behind Albany State, with 48 points. Behind the Lady Blazers were Fort Valely and Edward Waters. Individually on the men's side, Brandon Joyner and Juan Tejada finishe first and second respectively, with times of 44:39 and 45:51. Chris Gaither came in fourth with a time of 46:55 while Chris Holland had a time of 47:23, good enough for sixth place. Steve Cary (48:04) finished seventh and Alan McGough (49:00) finished ninth. Rounding out the men's side was Justin Romaine who finished tenth with a time of 49:12 while Daniel McCormick finished 14th with a time of 53:25. Ashley Hiott led the women's 5K course with a time of 22:20, good enough for seventh place while Heather McClure was close behind with an eighth place finish (22:52). Kaynekka Gibbs (23:10) and Alecia Beck (24:17) came in ninth and eleventh place while Laura Carpenter finished thirteenth (24:36). Andrea Smith finished with a time of 29:53, good enough for a twentieth place finish. VSU will compete in the Embry-Riddle Classic on Saturday, September 22.

Cross Country Competes at Mercer-Atlanta Invitational

2007-09-09

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State men's cross country team finished third out of eight teams while the women ran to a fifth-place finish, out of 11 teams, Saturday at the Mercer-Atlanta Invitational. The Blazer men's team proved to be the top finishing non-Division I team as it was defeated only by Kennesaw State and Mercer, tallying 82 total points. The women finished third among non-Division I teams with 114 points. On the men's side, Brandon Joyner was the top Blazer finisher with a 20th-place showing in a time of 22:59 for the 6K race. Juan Tejada followed in 21st in a time of 23:19 while Alan McGough was 22nd at 23:20. Steve Cary finished 23rd in a time of 23:33 while Justin Romaine also tallied a top-30 finish, completing the course in a time of 23:58 to come in 27th. Chris Holland was 32nd at 24:20 while Chris Gaither was six spots behind at 24:39. Daniel McCormick (25:06) and Justin Hergert (25:29) rounded out the Blazer squad, finishing 42nd and 50th respectively. Ashley Hiott led the women with an 11th-place showing in a time of 22:25 while Kaynekka Gibbs was 22nd at 24:46. Heather McLure finished the 5K course in a time of 24:54 to finish 24th while Alecia Beck was 32nd in a time of 26:10. Laura Carpenter was 37th in a time of 26:37 while Andrea Smith rounded out the Blazer squad in 58th with a time of 30:37. Both Blazer squads return to action next Saturday when they take part in the Albany State Invitational in Albany, Ga.

VALDOSTA STATE RUNS AT NCAA REGIONAL MEET

2006-11-04

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Valdosta State cross country team wrapped up its season last weekend with the NCAA South Regional with the men's squad finishing 16th out of 24 squads and the women finishing 17th out of 29th. Melissa Daugherty, who completed her career by being named second-team All-Gulf South Conference, paced the women as she finished 32nd in a time of 24:23 for the 6K race. Ashley Hiott completed the race in a time of 25:59 to finish 87th while Kaynekka Gibbs was 106th in 26:32. Vicki Cato was 116th with a time of 27:04 followed by Heather McClure in 117th with a time of 27:09. The Lady Blazers had a total team score of 427 while Harding won the event with a score of 37. On the men's side, Chris Holland completed the 10K course in a time of 35:37 to finish 69th while Alan McGough was 70th with a time of 35:42. Steve Cary finished 100th in a time of 37:26 while Josh Abinal was 110th (38:23) and Brandon Joyner 112th (38:29). Patrick McGough (38:31) and Russ Brantley (39:17) also competed for VSU, finishing 113th and 117th, respectively. The Blazers tallied a total team score of 418 while Harding claimed the team title with a total of 23. "I think we had a successful year considering the youth of both of our teams," said head coach Craig Barnes. "We had only one upperclassmen on each team and lose only Melissa Daugherty so we should be strong next year as well."

Valdosta State Runs At NCAA Regional Meet

2006-11-04

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Valdosta State cross country team wrapped up its season last weekend with the NCAA South Regional with the men's squad finishing 16th out of 24 squads and the women finishing 17th out of 29th. On the men's side, Chris Holland completed the 10K course in a time of 35:37 to finish 69th while Alan McGough was 70th with a time of 35:42. Steve Cary finished 100th in a time of 37:26 while Josh Abinal was 110th (38:23) and Brandon Joyner 112th (38:29). Patrick McGough (38:31) and Russ Brantley (39:17) also competed for VSU, finishing 113th and 117th, respectively. The Blazers tallied a total team score of 418 while Harding claimed the team title with a total of 23. "I think we had a successful year considering the youth of both of our teams," said head coach Craig Barnes. "We had only one upperclassmen on each team and lose only Melissa Daugherty so we should be strong next year as well."

VALDOSTA STATE COMPETES AT GSC CHAMPIONSHIPS

2006-10-21

HUNTSVILLE, Ga. - The Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams finished ninth at the Gulf South Conference Championships held at Sharon Johnston Park Saturday morning. The men finished ninth out of ten teams with a score of 233. Alan McGough paced the Blazers, finishing 30th in a time of 28:10 for the 8K course. Chris Holland was 46th in a time of 29:34 while Josh Abinal came in 51st at 29:53. Brandon Joyner was right behind Abinal in 52nd with a time of 29:56 while Russ Brantley finished in a time of 30:03 with a time of 30:03. Steve Cary and Patrick McGough rounded out the VSU competitors, finishing 55th and 56th with times of 30:23 and 30:37, respectively. Harding won the team and individual championship with a total score of 22 while Bison Artur Kern claimed the individual title with a time of 25:08. On the women's side, the Blazers tallied 260 points with Melissa Daugherty pacing VSU with a time of 20:00 for the 5K course and a showing of 18th place. Ashley Hiott was 47th with a time of 21:11 while Vicki Cato came in 53rd with a time of 21:35. Heather McClure finished 69th with a time of 22:15 while Roxanne Zeger competed in a time of 22:33 for 73rd overall. Kaynekka Gibbs tallied an 82nd place showing with a time of 23:32 Harding also won the women's title with an overall score of 19. Lady Bison Janee Jones won the individual title in a time of 17:49. Valdosta State returns to action on Saturday November 4 when it competes in the NCAA Regional meet.

Valdosta State Competes At GSC Championships

2006-10-21

Valdosta State Runs At Walt Disney World CLassic

2006-10-07

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Valdosta State women finished 21st out of 36 teams and the men tallied a 22nd place finish, out of 30, at the Walt Disney World Cross Country Classic Saturday. The men totaled 644 points and were paced by Brandon Joyner, who finished 118th in a time of 28:38 for the 8K course. Alan McGough was 136th in a time of 29:19 while Josh Abinal was 160th in a time of 30:04. Steve Cary finished in a time of 30:14 and was 165th overall while Russ Brantley was 169th at 30:32. Patrick McGough rounded out the VSU runners with a time of 31:29 in 192nd. The Blazers return to action October 21 when they compete in the Gulf South Conference Championships in Huntsville, Ala.

Valdosta State Competes At Georiga Collegiate

2006-09-30

MACON, Ga.- Freshman Alan McGough paced the men for the third straight race, finishing 24th in a time of 28:25 for the 8K race. Junior Chris Holland was 39th overall with a time of 29:17 while freshman Brandon Joyner was 41st at 29:19. Freshman Russ Brantley completed the race in a time of 30:09 and in 55th place while freshman Josh Abinal was 58th at 30:23. Two more freshmen rounded out the VSU team, with Steve Cary finishing 59th at 30:44 and Patrick McGough in 62nd at 30:47. The Blazers return to action Saturday, October 7 when they compete in the Disney Invitational in Orlando, Fla. Men's Team Scores: 1) Berry 64; 2) Emory 79; 3) Georgia College

Blazer Men Earn A Third Place Finish

2006-09-23

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Valdosta State women's cross country team finished fifth and the men finished fourth at the Embry-Riddle Classic Saturday morning in Daytona Beach, Fla. On the men's side, the Blazers finished fourth out of nine team with 120 total. Embry-Riddle claimed the overall men's title with 20 points. Freshman Alan McGough paced Valdosta State with a 25th place showing in a time of 31:03 on the 8K route. Junior Chris Holland came in 31st in a time of 31:25 while freshman Brandon Joyner was 35th at 31:58. Freshmen Josh Abinal (32:26) and Steve Cary (32:26) closed out the VSU scoring with finishes of 40th and 41st, respectively. Freshmen Russ Brantley (33:12) and Patrick McGough (33:18) also competed for VSU, finishing 46th and 48th, respectively. Valdosta State returns to action next Saturday when the Blazers compete in the Georgia Collegiate in Macon, Ga. Men's Team Scores: 1) Embry-Riddle 20; 2) Nova Southeastern 57; 3) SCAD 78; 4) Valdosta State 120; 5) Florida Tech 126; 6) Stetson 157; 7) Rollins 182; 8) Saint Leo 229; 9) LaGrange 233. Top Men's Finishers: 1) Jason Powers, Unattached; 2) Nick Gehlsen, ERU; 3) Anthony Morales, Unattached; 4) Erick Ngeny, ERU; 5) Jarett Woodbury, ERU. VSU Men's Finishes: 25) Alan McGough, 31:03; 31) Chris Holland, 31:25; 35) Brandon Joyner, 31:58; 40) Josh Abinal, 32:26; 41) Steve Cary, 32:26; 46) Russ Brantley, 33:12; 48) Patrick McGough, 33:18.

Blazer Men Earn Third at Mercer Invitational

2006-09-09

VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State men's and women's cross country teams both finished third at the Mercer Invitational held in Atlanta Saturday morning. Both Blazers squad proved to be the top Division II team at the meet as only Mercer and Kennesaw State tallied a lower score than VSU. On the men's side, freshman Brandon Joyner was the Blazers' top finisher, completing the 6K run in 22:47 for a 16th-place showing. Fellow freshman Alan McGough was right behind Joyner in 17th (22:51) while freshman Chris Holland was 22nd at 23:26. Freshmen Steve Cary and Josh Abinal rounded out VSU's scoring with finishes of 26th (24:05) and 27th (24:20), respectively. Freshmen Patrick McGough and Russ Brantley also competed for VSU, finishing 29th (24:22) and 32nd (24:28). Kennesaw State won both the men's and women's titles, finishing with 15 points on the men's side and 21 on the women's. Mercer was runner-up for both races with 64 points in the men's race and 42 in the women's while Valdosta State completed both races with 82 points for a pair of third place finishes, including two victories on the Division II level. Men's Team Scores: 1) Kennesaw State 15; 2) Mercer 64; 3) Valdosta State 82; 4) Truett-McConnell 108; 5) Fort Valley State 126; 6) LaGrange 177; 7) Andrew 182. Top Men's Finishers: 1) Peikko Solla, KSU; 2) Dan Gormley KSU; 3) Scott Burley, KSU; 4) Mike Johnson, KSU; 5) Maxwell Ndungu, KSU. VSU Men's Finishes: 16) Brandon Joyner, 22:47; 17) Alan McGough, 22:51; 22) Chris Holland, 23:26; 26) Steve Cary, 24:05; 27) Josh Abinal, 24:20; 29) Patrick McGough, 24:22; 32) Russ Brantley, 24:28.