Date Posted: 10/27/2007

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont’s dominance in women’s cross country continued on Saturday as the Bruins won the league title for the sixth time in seven years. The Bruins placed three in the top 10 in defeating their closest competitor, Kennesaw State, by 30 points at the Vaughn’s Creek Cross Country Course. Over 1,000 spectators came out for the morning race and lined the course throughout.

Belmont senior Lauren Weaver took control of the race early and ran away from the field, finishing in a time of 17:51. The 2006 runner-up became the first Belmont woman to win the individual A-Sun championship. The native of Nashville, Tenn. and graduate of David Lipscomb High School used her years of experience on the course to her benefit to win at her final A-Sun Championship.

“This is my 12th season actually running on this course, so it was fun to kind of send it out with a bang,” Weaver said. “I’m not going to miss the sideways hill and the stretch along highway 100.”

USC Upstate’s Emily Tangwar concluded her stellar freshman season with a runner-up finish, completing the course in a time 18:08. She won the Atlantic Sun Conference’s Freshman of the Year award.

“I wanted to win the individual title, but I am satisfied because [my time] will be a personal record,” Tangwar said. “[Lauren Weaver] and[Brittany Thune] were very tough. I battled with them.”

Thune, the 2006 Freshman of the Year, took third place, one second behind Tangwar. She along with Weaver and Elizabeth Smothers led Bruins, all finishing in the top 10.

“It’s great for Belmont and great for the girls, they are the ones doing the work,” Belmont head coach Seth Sheridan said about his team winning in Nashville, Tenn.

Kennesaw State, which took second for the second consecutive year, landed a pair inside the top 10. Junior Erin Sutton placed sixth and Mackenzie Howe followed two spots later, second among freshman. UNF claimed third, led by senior Amanda Davey’s fourth-place showing. Jacksonville followed in fourth, with Campbell and host Lipscomb rounding out the top 6 team finishes.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is a 12-member league committed to Building Winners for Life, with a focus on academic and athletic integrity and a balance between the two for the student-athlete, and maintaining a high level of sportsmanship. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun encompasses six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun consists of some of the most dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Gardner-Webb University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Related Links:
 • Championship Coverage