JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. -- The Furman men's and women's cross country teams continued their decade of dominance by sweeping the team titles for the tenth-consecutive year Sunday at the 2022 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at the Johns Island County Park in Johns Island, S.C.

Furman claimed both individual titles, with juniors Dylan Schubert and Bethany Graham winning the men's 8K race and women's 5K race, respectively.  Schubert's win marked the seventh-straight individual title for the Paladins on the men's side.  Carly Wilkes was honored as the women's freshman of the year, giving Furman its third-consecutive rookie of the year award on the women's side, and Furman head coach Robert Gary was voted the SoCon Women's Coach of the Year for the tenth-straight year.

In the opening race of the day, the Furman men scored 27 points for the win, becoming just the second SoCon team to win ten-straight men's titles, a feat William & Mary accomplished from 1966-75.  ETSU finished second with 55 points, while Mercer was third with 100 points. 

Schubert posted a time of 23:41.5 to lead the field, earning SoCon Men's Runner of the Year accolades.  Senior David Ahlmeyer finished fourth with a time of 23:20.3, followed by junior Carson Williams in fifth place at 24:22.0.  Senior Adam Beucler posted a seventh-place finish with a time of 24:24.1, joining Schubert, Ahlmeyer, and Williams on the All-SoCon first team. 

Sophomores Nick Goldstein and Foster Wilfong were named to the All-SoCon second team.  Goldstein turned in a tenth-place finish with a time of 24:38.3, and Wilfong placed 13th at 24:44.4.  Senior Josh Powers earned the SoCon Pinnacle Award, which is given to the athlete with the highest GPA on the championship-winning team, after placing 19th for the Paladins with a time of 25:16.2, and senior Mac Roberts was 23rd at 25:21.6.  Freshman Colton Kempney crossed the line in 26:13.2 for 41st place.  

In the day's second race, the 27th-ranked Furman women's team claimed their tenth title with a perfect 15 points, setting a program record for lowest points scored at the league meet.  The Paladins, who already owned the longest streak of women's titles in league history, extended their streak by defeating second-place Samford, who scored 62 points, and ETSU, who took third with 82 points. 

Graham won the women's race for the second-consecutive year after posting a meet record of 16:22.3 to claim her second-straight SoCon Women's Runner of the Year citation.  Senior Abigail Robertson was second at 16:44.8, followed by junior Emily Little in third place with a time of 17:04.1  Sophomore Sierra Bower finished fourth after posting a time of 17:08.5, and junior Megan Marvin, the SoCon Pinnacle Award winner on the women's side, completed the perfect score in fifth place at 17:10.1  Graham, Robertson, Little, Bower, and Marvin joined junior Madelynne Cadeau, who finished sixth at 17:19.2, on the All-SoCon first team.

Freshman Carly Wilkes crossed the line in 17:26.4 to finish eighth and earn a spot on the All-SoCon second team.  Freshman Camryn Wennersten was 19th at 18:08.4, and freshman Emma Jones finished 23rd with a time of 18:20.8.  All three Paladin rookies were honored as members of the SoCon All-Freshman team.

"I am very proud of everyone involved with the program," said Gary at the conclusion of the meet.  "The ebbs and flows of where our teams are change, but not our primary mission goals, whichc are to defend our SoCon streak and advance to NCAA.  One down; one to go."

The Paladins will compete at the NCAA Southeast Region Championships on November 11 in Louisville, Ky.

Furman Men's Individual Results

1 Dylan Schubert 23:41.5

4 David Ahlmeyer 24:20.3

5 Carson Williams 24:22.0

7 Adam Beucler 24:24.1

10 Nick Goldstein 24:38.3

13 Foster Wilfong 24:44.4

19 Josh Powers 25:16.2

23 Mac Roberts 25:21.6

41 Colton Kempney 26:13.2

Furman Women's Individual Results

1 Bethany Graham 16:22.3

2 Abigail Robertson 16:44.8

3 Emily Little 17:04.1

4 Sierra Bower 17:08.5

5 Megan Marvin 17:10.1

6 Madelynne Cadeau 17:19.2

8 Carly Wilkes 17:26.4

19 Camryn Wennersten 18:08.4

23 Emma Jones 18:20.8

Men's Results

Team                           Points

1. Furman                     27

2. ETSU                       55

3. Mercer                      100

4. UNCG                      101

5. Samford                   123

6. Chattanooga             163

7. The Citadel               203

8. Western Carolina      212

9. VMI                          242

10. Wofford                  292

Women's Results

Team                           Points

1. Furman                     15*

2. Samford                   62

3. ETSU                       82

4. Chattanooga             141

5. Western Carolina      157

6. Mercer                      165

7. Wofford                    169

8. UNCG                      193

9. VMI                          287

10. The Citadel             288

* Matches meet record

2022 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country

Runner of the Year

Dylan Schubert, Furman

Freshman of the Year

Andrew McGinnis, Samford

Coach of the Year

George Watts, ETSU

Pinnacle Award

Josh Powers, Furman

All-SoCon First Team

Dylan Schubert, Furman

Evan Guzman, ETSU

Joe Thoma, UNCG

David Ahlmeyer, Furman

Carson Williams, Furman

Vladi Zander-Velloso, Mercer

Adam Beucler, Furman

All-SoCon Second Team

Dylan Christopher, UNCG

Gavin Cooper, ETSU

Nick Goldstein, Furman

Jeb Jones, Samford

Myles Stoots, ETSU

Foster Wilfong, Furman

Josh Krasfur, ETSU

All-Freshman Team

Andrew McGinnis, Samford

Nate Hillis, ETSU

Owen Sharnas, The Citadel

Xian Campbell, ETSU

Caleb Scheffler, Samford

Harrison Siegel, Samford

Matthew Martin, Western Carolina

2022 Southern Conference Women's Cross Country

Runner of the Year

Bethany Graham, Furman

Freshman of the Year

Carly Wilkes, Furman

Coach of the Year

Robert Gary, Furman

Pinnacle Award

Megan Marvin, Furman

All-SoCon First Team

Bethany Graham, Furman

Abigail Robertson, Furman

Emily Little, Furman

Sierra Bower, Furman

Megan Marvin, Furman

Madelynne Cadeau, Furman

McKenzie Hogue, Samford

All-SoCon Second Team

Carly Wilkes, Furman

Kate Mattison, Western Carolina

Gabbie Hoots, Samford

Genevieve Schwarz, ETSU

Rebekah Howard, ETSU

Kiera Snyder, ETSU

Ashley Walker, Samford

All-Freshman Team

Carly Wilkes, Furman

Gabbie Hoots, Samford

Camryn Wennersten, Furman

Maddie Wheatcroft, Chattanooga

Emma Jones, Furman

Chanelle Kruger, ETSU

Leah Boyd, Chattanooga