FOLEY, Ala. (10/28/22) – A strong finish down the home stretch lifted the Arkansas State men’s cross country team to its second straight Sun Belt Conference title Friday evening at Graham Creek Nature Preserve.

A-State trailed closely behind South Alabama until the 6K mark, when the Scarlet and Black took over first place in the team standings and took home the league championship trophy behind seven top-15 finishers and four of five scorers in the top 10. All seven runners earned all-league honors.

The Red Wolves’ women’s squad earned a runner-up finish behind Southern Miss, totaling 71 points.

In the women’s 5K, A-State kept it close from start to finish, sitting in second behind the eventual champion Golden Eagles at both the 2K and 3K splits. Jaybe Shufelberger led the way in seventh place with a time of 17:12.8 with Sophie Leathers following in eighth with a mark of 17:28.8. Both garnered second-team all-conference honors with their finishes.

Elizabeth Martin placed 17^th and crossed the finish line in 17:55.5, while freshman Cadence Lapp finished 18^th with a mark of 18:04.4. Fellow frosh Ann-Marie Braese represented A-State’s fifth scorer and placed 21^st, clocking a time of 18:12.9. Olivia Walter (31^st – 18:29.6) and Emma Hurlbut (34^th – 18:33.5) also competed, but did not score.

South Alabama led through both the 2K and 4K splits behind eventual individual champion Kirami Yego, but A-State overtook the Jaguars ahead of the 6K mark and continued to move up en route to successfully defending its title.

A pair of Red Wolves placed inside the top four and earned first-team all-conference honors, led by Grayson Young’s third-place time of 24:21.1 Dawson Mayberry turned in a time of 24:25.5 to follow in fourth. Jacob Pyeatt finished sixth with a time of 24:33.2 and Nati Enright crossed seventh in a personal-best 24:37.9, with both earning second-team all-league laurels. Enright was the top freshman finisher, earning the league’s Freshman of the Year honor. Rylan Brown rounded out A-State’s scorers with a 12^th-place time of 24:58.4 to earn a spot on the third team.

Nathan Herbst (13^th – 24:59.2) and Ethan Mychajlonka (15^th – 25:10.1) recorded top-15 placements to also earn third-team all-league honors.

NEXT UP

The Red Wolves look ahead to the NCAA South Central Regionals Championships, held Friday, Nov. 11, in Bryan-College Station, Texas, with the top two teams in each race automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championships.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.

WOMEN’S 5K RESULTS

Team Results (13 Teams)

1. Southern Miss – 44 points

2. Arkansas State – 71

3. James Madison – 83

4. Marshall – 104

5. Appalachian State – 117

6. Coastal Carolina – 155

7. South Alabama – 203

8. ULM – 210

9. Louisiana – 220

10. Troy – 288

11. Texas State – 295

12. Georgia Southern – 343

13. Georgia State – 349

Individual Results

7. Jaybe Shufelberger, 17:12.8* (7 points); 8. Sophie Leathers, 17:28.8* (8 points); 17. Elizabeth Martin, 17:55.5 (17 points); 18. Cadence Lapp, 18:04.4* (18 points); 21. Ann-Marie Braese, 18:12.9 (21 points); 31. Olivia Walter, 18:29.6; 34. Emma Hurlbut, 18:33.5

MEN’S 8K RESULTS

Team Results (9 Teams)

1. Arkansas State – 32 points

2. Appalachian State – 46

3. South Alabama – 58

4. Marshall – 97

5. Louisiana – 139

6. ULM – 190

7. Coastal Carolina – 210

8. Troy – 217

9. Texas State – 229

Individual Results

3. Grayson Young, 24:21.1 (3 points); 4. Dawson Mayberry, 24:25.5* (4 points); 6. Jacob Pyeatt, 24:33.2 (6 points); 7. Nati Enright, 24:37.9* (7 points); 12. Rylan Brown, 24:58.4 (12 points); 13. Nathan Herbst, 24:59.2^; 15. Ethan Mychajlonka, 25:10.1

*denotes collegiate best

^denotes season best