SMC Runners Post New School Records at Nationals

Sophomore Veit Clocks In With School’s Highest Individual Placing 

SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Spartanburg Methodist College men's team and the top SMC female runner returned from the NJCAA National Cross Country Championships on Sunday afternoon after four days in El Paso, Texas. 

The men's team, which qualified for its fifth trip to nationals in the last five years, posted its fastest five-man average in school history and its fastest total time in school history. The men peaked at the right time this season as 6 of the 7 runners hit a lifetime personal best at the national meet. The team averaged 27:11 for the 8K course, topping the school-record previous best five-man average of 27:41 set earlier this year.

The men were led by freshman Jeremy Vangsnes, a Broome High School graduate, who set a new school record as he clocked 26:26.6 to finish in 69th place at the national championship. 

Sophomore Griffin Cole, the team's captain and a graduate of A.C. Flora High School, finished in 89th place -- the same as his placing in the 2005 national meet -- but this time he ran nearly two minutes faster and clocked only the third sub-27:00 time in SMC school history with his lifetime personal record of 26:54.8. 

Freshman Wells Johnson, a graduate of James Island High School, trimmed nearly a minute off his lifetime personal record as he finished in 96th place with a time of 27:02.4.     

Sophomore Ross Kaiser, a Lexington High School graduate, also notched a personal record with his 27:35.2, good for 130th place.

Sophomore Brent Durden, a Midland Valley High School graduate, set a personal best for the 8K distance -- by 36 seconds -- as he ran 27:56.9 to finish 142nd. 

Other finishers for the Pioneer men were freshman Todd Hines, a Union High School graduate, who finished 175th in a person best of 29:07.7 and sophomore Kevin Brabham, a Riverside High School graduate, who was 188th in 29:41.1.

The men's team finished 19th in the national field, which would be better called an "international" field. While both the men's and women's races were peppered with numerous international runners, the quality of the field was best evidenced by the first eight men and the first six women being either Kenyan or Ethiopian citizens.  

Sophomore Jocelyn Veit, a graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School, the school record holder with a 19:17 personal best, was the lone SMC female to compete. She had SMC's highest individual placing as she finished 51st overall with a 20:36.3 clocking.            

“It was a fantastic effort for the men, as the times indicate. To have nearly the entire team run the races of their lives on the same day was amazing,” said Mike Foley, men’s and women’s cross country coach. “This really gives us something to build on for the future.” 

For more information please contact coach Mike Foley at (864) 325-5957 or athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.