LEXINGTON, VA. -- The Furman men's and women's cross country teams swept the team titles for the ninth consecutive year Saturday at the 2021 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at the Lexington Golf and Country Club in Lexington, Va.

In the opening race of the day, the 36th-ranked Furman women's team scored a record low 18 points for the win, taking nine of the top 10 spots in the race and beating out second-place Samford's 83 points.  ETSU finished third with 86 points.

Paladin sophomore Bethany Graham won the women's 5K race with a time of 17:41.4 and was honored as the SoCon Women's Runner of the Year.  Sophomore Emily Little placed second with a time of  17:52.8, and junior Abigail Robertson placed fourth with a time of 18:25.8.  Rookie Kaylie Armitage turned in a time of 18:28.3 for fifth place to earn the SoCon Freshman of the Year award, while sophomore Megan Marvin, who earned the SoCon Pinnacle Award, which is given to the athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team, finished sixth at 18:30.5.  Junior Nicole Matysik finished seventh with a time of 18:34.9, claiming the final spot on the All-SoCon first team along with Graham, Little, Robertson, Armitage, and Marvin.

Sophomore Madelynne Cadeau crossed the line in 18:40.6 for eighth place, while sophomore Jonna Strange was ninth at 18:50.4.  Freshman Meghan Ford finished tenth with a time of 18:52.8.  Cadeau, Strange, and Ford represented the Paladins on the All-SoCon second team, while Armitage and Ford were named to the SoCon All-Freshman team. 

In the day's second race, the 16th-ranked Furman men's team claimed the top seven spots, scoring a perfect 15 points for the victory.  Runner-up ETSU tallied 66 points, followed by Mercer in third with 122 points.

Furman senior Cameron Ponder was honored as the SoCon Men's Runner of the Year after winning the men's individual title with a time of 24:40.0 on the 8K course.  SoCon Pinnacle Award winner Dylan Schubert finished as runner-up with a time of 24:45.9, and senior Aaron Wier placed third with a time of 24:57.1.  Senior Daniel Bernal took fourth place in 25:13.1, followed by rookie Gabe Montague, who was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year after placing fifth with a time of 25:28.8.  Senior Noah Dolhare and sophomore Carson Williams finished sixth and seventh, respectively, with times of 25:40.1 and 25:40.3, to completed the All-SoCon first team squad, along with Ponder, Schubert, Wier, Bernal, and Montague.

Freshman Nick Goldstein turned in a time of 26:02.7 for 12th place to land a spot on the All-SoCon second team and to join Montague on the SoCon All-Freshman team.  Junior Ares Reading placed 19th with a time of 26:33.4.

Furman head coach Robert Gary was honored as the Southern Conference Coach of the Year for both the men's and women's programs.  With Saturday's victory, he ties Bill Gautier of Chattanooga as the winningest coach in SoCon history with nine titles on the women's side.

Furman Women's Individual Results

1 Bethany Graham 17:41.4

2 Emily Little 17:52.8

4 Abigail Robertson 18:25.8

5 Kaylie Armitage 18:29.3

6 Megan Marvin 18:30.5

7 Nicole Matysik 18:34.9

8 Madelynne Cadeau 18:40.6

9 Jonna Strange 18:50.6

10 Meghan Ford 18:52.8

Furman Men's Individual Results

1 Cameron Ponder 24:40.0

2 Dylan Schubert 24:45.9

3 Aaron Wier 24:57.1

4 Daniel Bernal 25:13.1

5 Gabe Montague 25:28.8

6 Noah Dolhare 25:40.1

7 Carson Williams 25:40.3

12 Nick Goldstein 26:02.7

19 Ares Reading 26:33.4

Women's Team Scores

1. Furman – 18

2. Samford – 83

3. ETSU – 86

4. UNCG – 136

5. Chattanooga – 136

6. Wofford  – 170

7. Western Carolina – 176

8. VMI – 226

9. Mercer – 255

10. Citadel - 269

Men's Team Scores

1. Furman – 15

2. ETSU – 66

3. Mercer – 122

4. Samford – 128

5. UNCG – 136

6. Western Carolina – 156

7. VMI - 175

8. Chattanooga – 200

9. Wofford – 241

10. Citadel – 267

2021 Southern Conference Women's Cross Country

Runner of the Year

Bethany Graham, Furman

Freshman of the Year

Kaylie Armitage, Furman

Coach of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman

Pinnacle Award

Megan Marvin, Furman

All-SoCon First Team

Bethany Graham, Furman

Emily Little, Furman

Lindsey Stallworth, ETSU

Abigail Robertson, Furman

Kaylie Armitage, Furman

Megan Marvin, Furman

Nicole Matysik, Furman

All-SoCon Second Team

Madelynne Cadeau, Furman

Jonna Strange, Furman

Meghan Ford, Furman

Sinkenesh Parker, Samford

Kate Mattison, Western Carolina

Genevieve Schwarz, ETSU

Ariana Garcia, UNC Greensboro

All-Freshman Team

Kaylie Armitage, Furman

Meghan Ford, Furman

Sinkenesh Parker, Samford

Emma Russum, Chattanooga

Macie Pfeuffer, Samford

Mary Claire Ridgeway, Wofford

Carolyne Shealy, Wofford

2021 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country

Runner of the Year

Cameron Ponder, Furman

Freshman of the Year

Gabe Montague, Furman

Coach of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman

Pinnacle Award

Dylan Schubert, Furman

All-SoCon First Team

Cameron Ponder, Furman

Dylan Schubert, Furman

Aaron Wier, Furman

Daniel Bernal, Furman

Gabe Montague, Furman

Noah Dolhare, Furman

Carson Williams, Furman

All-SoCon Second Team

Gavin Jenkins, VMI

Evan Guzman, ETSU

Matt Scarr, ETSU

Myles Stoots, ETSU

Nick Goldstein, Furman

Ben Garner, Samford

Connor Kaufman, Mercer

All-Freshman Team

Gabe Montague, Furman

Evan Guzman, ETSU

Nick Goldstein, Furman

Jackson Merrell, Samford

Justin Hayes, Western Carolina

William Hartig, ETSU

Aaron Isbell, Chattanooga