JOHNSON CITY, TENN. -- The Furman men's and women's cross country teams swept the team titles for the seventh consecutive year Saturday at the 2019 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at Pine Oaks Golf Course in Johnson City, Tenn.

In the opening race of the day, the 15th-ranked Furman women's team took seven of the top nine spots, scoring 20 points for the victory.  Runner-up East Tennessee State tallied 78 points, followed by UNC Greensboro in third with 85 points.

Paladin senior Gabbi Jennings paced Furman with a time of 17:05.9 on the 5K course, taking second place.  Senior Savannah Carnahan finished third at 17:44.6, and junior Krissy Gear claimed fourth place with a time of 17:55.9.  Senior Emma Grace Hurley crossed the line in fifth-place at 18:01.8, while senior Grace Dwyer completed the Paladin slate of scorers in sixth place at 18:11.5 to join Jennings, Carnahan, Gear, and Hurley on the All-SoCon first team. 

Junior Emily Lane posted a time of 18:21.0 to finish eighth, followed by junior Emma Kuntz, who was honored with the SoCon Pinnacle Award for holding the highest GPA on the championship team, in ninth at 18:25.8.  Senior Riley Burr, who earned an All-SoCon second team citation along with Lane and Kuntz, finished 11th with a time of 18:48.3.  Rookie Lauren Peterson earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman team after placing 15th with a time of 19:03.1

The 32nd-ranked Furman men's team scored 21 points for the win in the second race of the day, taking four of the top five spots and beating out second-place East Tennessee State's 56 points.  Samford finished third with 92 points.

Furman senior Ryan Adams was honored as the SoCon Men's Runner of the Year after winning the men's individual title with a time of 24:40.8 on the 8K course.  Junior Daniel Bernal finished second with a time of 24:58.4, and sophomore Cameron Ponder crossed the line in 25:30.9 for fourth place.  Rookie David Ahlmeyer claimed SoCon Freshman of the Year accolades after finishing fifth with a time of 25:31.3 to join Adams, Bernal and Ponder on the All-SoCon first team.

Freshman Ares Reading and junior Trenton Mandato were named to the All-SoCon second team.  Reading, also a member of the SoCon All-Freshman team, completed the Furman scorers in ninth place at 25:40.6, and Mandato, who earned the SoCon Pinnacle Award, which is given to the athlete with the highest GPA on the championship winning team, turned in an 11th-place finish at 25:59.4.

Redshirt freshman Noah Dolhare was honored with a SoCon All-Freshman team citation after placing 23rd with a time of 26:52.9, and rookie Adam Beucler finished 37th at 27:35.4.

Furman head coach Robert Gary was honored as the Southern Conference Coach of the Year for both the men's and women's programs. 

Furman will compete at the Southeast Regional Championships on November 15 in Charlottesville, Va.

Furman Women's Individual Results

2 Gabbi Jennings 17:05.9

3 Savannah Carnahan 17:44.6

4 Krissy Gear 17:55.9

5 Emma Grace Hurley 18:01.8

6 Grace Dwyer 18:11.5

8 Emily Lane 18:21.0

9 Emma Kuntz 18:25.8

11 Riley Burr 18:48.3

15 Lauren Peterson 19:03.1

Furman Men's Individual Results

1 Ryan Adams 24:40.8

2 Daniel Bernal 24:58.4

4 Cameron Ponder 25:30.9

5 David Ahlmeyer 25:31.3

9 Ares Reading 25:40.6

11 Trent Mandato 25:59.4

23 Noah Dolhare 26:52.9

37 Adam Beucler 27:35.4

Men's Team Scores

1. Furman – 21

2. ETSU – 56

3. Samford – 92

4. VMI – 106

5. UNCG – 127

6. Chattanooga – 166

7. Mercer - 182

8. Western Carolina – 224

9. Wofford – 246

10. The Citadel – 285

Women's Team Scores

1. Furman – 20

2. Samford – 86

3. UNCG – 91

4. ETSU – 115

5. Wofford – 139

6. Chattanooga – 158

7. Western Carolina – 184

8. VMI – 221

9. Mercer – 224

10. The Citadel - 247

Men's First-Team All-SoCon

1. Ryan Adams, Furman

2. Daniel Bernal, Furman

3. Ben Varghese, ETSU

4. Cameron Ponder, Furman

5. David Ahlmeyer, Furman

6. Dillon Dean, Samford

7. Jahanzib Shahbaz, VMI

Women's First-Team All-SoCon

1. Hannah Steelman, Wofford

2. Gabrielle Jennings, Furman

3. Savannah Carnahan, Furman

4. Kristlin Gear, Furman

5. Emma Grace Hurley, Furman

6. Grace Dwyer, Furman

7. Mary Grace Strozier, Samford

Men's Second-Team All-SoCon

8. Adam Bradtmueller, ETSU

9. Ares Reading, Furman

10. Alex Roy, UNCG

11. Trent Mandato, Furman

12. Ben Garner, Samford

13. Gavin Jenkins, VMI 

14. Noah Charles, ETSU

Women's Second-Team All-SoCon

8. Emily Lane, Furman

9. Emma Kuntz, Furman

10. Makenzie Jones, Chattanooga

11. Riley Burr, Furman

12. Kaitlyn Stone, UNCG

13. McKenzie Hogue, Samford

14. Lindsey Trotter, Western Carolina

Men's All-Freshman Team

David Ahlmeyer, Furman

Ares Reading, Furman

Jeb Jones, Samford

Noah Dolhare, Furman

Seth Bowdon, ETSU

Jonathan Krone, VMI

Dennison Kelly, VMI

Women's All-Freshman Team

McKenzie Hogue, Samford

Lauren Peterson, Furman

Katie Strozier, Samford

Lindsay Holliday, ETSU

Lesley Green, Chattanooga

Heidi Fortin, The Citadel

Mattie Parker, Chattanooga

Men's Freshman of the Year

David Ahlmeyer, Furman

Women's Freshman of the Year

McKenzie Hogue, Samford

Men's Runner of the Year

Ryan Adams, Furman

Women's Runner of the Year

Hannah Steelman, Wofford

Men's Pinnacle Award Recipient

Trent Mandato, Furman

Women's Pinnacle Award Recipient

Emma Kuntz, Furman

Men's Coach of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman

Women's Coaches of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman