On Oct. 23, Union University’s men’s and women’s cross country teams ran their season finale at the Gulf South Conference Championship in Clinton, Miss. This year, the men’s team placed 9th and the women’s team finished in 4th.
The championship race was run on the Choctaw Trails at Mississippi College. It is the one annual race with all 13 Gulf South teams participating; this year’s race featured 105 runners.
The women’s team posted an average time of 19:23 and 141 total points. Outstanding individual performers included Abigail Bergquist and Anna Tankersley.
Bergquist finished 15th as Union’s top individual performer, posting a time of 18:37. Along with placing in the top 20, she was also named to second-team All-GSC.
Tankersley also found success as she received the GSC Champion Scholar-Athlete for the second consecutive year. This award is given out to the runner with the highest GPA, and Union runners have received this award every year since its creation in 2019.
The men’s team posted an average time of 26:48 with 233 points. Kornelius Kimpchumba finished 43rd with the team’s top individual time of 26:20. Just behind him was teammate Tristian Kelly, who placed 44th and had a time of 26:25.
Different from most sports, cross country regular season scores do not affect a team’s shot at a championship. Regardless of placing during the regular season meets, each team has an equal chance.
Women’s team meets are 5k’s (3.0 miles), while the men regularly run 8k’s (5.0 miles). Once the regional meets roll around, the women run a 6k (3.72 miles) and the men run a 10k (6.20 miles). When the gun is fired, the runners are on their own until they approach the finish line.
“In cross country, it’s all about preparation,” said cross country head coach Bailey Bell. “It’s different from other sports because almost all of my coaching happens before the gun fires.”
Bell coaches both of Union’s cross country teams with the assistance of his wife, Anna Bell. She plays an important role in the team’s culture and communication.
“I think that bringing both of them on staff was one of the best choices Union could’ve made,” said sophomore accounting major and team member Holly Blackwood. “Coach Anna is a constant encouragement and is always happy to give a listening ear.”
From a coaching standpoint, Bell handles all of the tactical and technical aspects of coaching, while Anna makes sure that the mental health, nutrition, and overall well-being of the team is where it needs to be.
Similarly, senior cross country runner Samuel Barkman elaborated on men’s team culture.
“It’s just like a big family,” Barkman said. “We are vocal about encouraging one another in all aspects of life because we care about our teammates, but we also share a relationship as friends.”
“My favorite thing has nothing to do with running,” said Bell. “It’s when an athlete comes into our program not knowing the Lord, and in his time, they develop a relationship with Jesus.”
For the women’s team, this season was an overall good performance that will serve as a springboard to help them reach their full potential. This past cross country season was a season of growth and development for the men’s team, which was in a rebuilding year with several key players getting ready to graduate.
Though this wasn’t either team’s championship year, this past season was a step in the right direction. With their minds turned towards preparation for next season, it is obvious to see that their mentality is in the right place.