DeBary, Fla.  – In the first Atlantic Sun Conference Championship event of the 2014-15 academic year, the FGCU men's and women's cross country teams saw their best-ever finishes as the FGCU women took third place, the program's first-ever mark inside the top three, while the men claimed fourth for the third-consecutive year, Saturday morning at the River City Nature Park in DeBary, Fla.
 
"I am so proud of what we were able to do today," head coach Cassandra Goodson said. "Nearly everyone improved their time from when we raced this course to open the season. That's really all you can ask for, a team that strives to improve and doesn't give up."
 
To capture bronze, each runner donning the Green and Blue finished well under the 20-minute mark while two from the FGCU squad placed inside the top 20. Pacing the Eagles for the fifth time this year was single season dual-sport athlete Brooke Sill (Lake Zurich, Ill./Eastern Illinois University) as the FGCU women's soccer midfielder and cross country standout crossed the finish line 15th with a time of 18:19.77, while Lauren Tarovisky (Wheeling, W.V./Wheeling Park HS/Moorehead State University) took 19th following a career-best 18:32.68. Saturday's race was the first A-Sun Cross Country Championship for Sill and Tarovisky, both of whom have a remaining year of eligibility. Crossing third for the Eagles was senior Alicen Wilbur (Pine Island, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS), placing 26th after recording a career-best 18:52.54, directly followed by Regan Farrow's (Oviedo, Fla./Lake Howell HS) 18:54.81 to take 27th. Rounding out the Eagles were Courtney Corradetti (Oceanside, Calif./Vista HS) in 30th (18:56.38), Anita Munoz (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) in 31st (19:02.15) and Stephanie Cajas (Lithia, Fla./Newsome HS) in 37th (19:24.51).

"The girls had an unbelievable day," Goodson said. "All year they've been racing very aggressively and that didn't change today. I could not be more proud of their efforts and they deserve everything their hard work brings them."  
 
The FGCU women accumulated 112 points to secure third place, outrunning Kennesaw State in fourth with 114. Continuing its reign as conference champion was Lipscomb, taking first for the fourth-consecutive year (21). Unlike seasons past, the Bisons were tested in the 2014 race as second-place North Florida totaled 34 points to give Lipscomb a narrow win.
 
In the 8K the FGCU men duplicated their program-best finish from the previous two championship races as six runners claimed a spot in the top 30. Leading the Eagles was freshman Troy Clark (Mount Dora, Fla./Mt. Dora Bible HS) with a time of 25:49.62 to finish in 13th place and earn Second Team All-Conference accolades and a spot on the All-Freshman squad. Finishing 20th was Courtland Bernard (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota HS) with a 26:20.92, before Cody Adkinson (Port Charlotte, Fla./Port Charlotte HS) registered a 26:28.82 and Jean Deceus (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee HS) a 26:32.17 to place 23rd and 24th, respectively. Rounding out the top-30 finishes were Charles Bengtson (West Palm Beach, Fla./John I. Leonard HS) in 28th (26:47.53) and Nathan Kandie (Iten, Kenya/University of Arizona) in 29th (26:50.31).
 
"The guys ran their hearts out and showed great effort as a team," Goodson said. "Many of them stepped up and showed major improvements. I am proud of Troy for becoming our first freshman to ever make one of the all-conference teams. He has a very promising future, which is exciting."
 
Taking home the top prize for a second-straight year was Lipscomb with 38 points, followed by Northern Kentucky in second (48) and UNF in third (66). FGCU racked up 108 points for fourth to outpace USC Upstate in fifth with 125.
 
The Eagles will now turn their attention to the NCAA South Regional Championships in Tallahassee on Nov. 14.
 
WOMEN'S RESULTS
TEAM RESULTS
1. Lipscomb – 21
2. UNF – 34
3. FGCU – 112
4. Kennesaw State – 114
5. Jacksonville – 157
6. Stetson – 168
7. Northern Kentucky – 182
8. USC Upstate – 190
 
FGCU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
15. Brooke Sill - 18:19.77 
19. Lauren Tarovisky - 18:32.68
26. Alicen Wilbur - 18:52.54  
27. Regan Farrow - 18:54.81
30. Courtney Corradetti - 18:56.38  
31. Anita Munoz - 19:02.15
37. Stephanie Cajas - 19:24.51
 
MEN'S RESULTS
TEAM RESULTS
1. Lipscomb – 26
2. Northern Kentucky – 82
3. UNF – 66
4. FGCU – 108
5. USC Upstate – 125
6. Kennesaw State – 136
7. Stetson – 209
8. Jacksonville – 230
 
FGCU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
13. Troy Clark - 25:49.62  
20. Courtland Bernard - 26:20.92  
23. Cody Adkinson – 26.28.82
24. Jean Deceus - 26:32.17
28. Charles Bengston – 26:47.53
29. Nathan Kandie - 26:50.31
31. Jose Cartagena - 26:59.30
38. Leonel Delacruz - 27:24.77
 
Atlantic Sun All-Conference Second Team
Griffin Eubanks, USC Upstate: 25:34.13
Jared Wingerter, Lipscomb: 25:38.74
Brady Holmer, Northern Kentucky: 25:40.72
Zac Holtkamp, Northern Kentucky: 25:42.52
Caleb Augustus, Northern Kentucky: 25:48.00
Troy Clark, FGCU: 25:49.62
Michael Mangus, Northern Kentucky: 25:52.31
 
Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team
Daniel Garcia, Kennesaw State - A-Sun Freshman of the Year
Tyler Bennett, North Florida
Troy Clark, FGCU
Michael Mangus, Northern Kentucky
Dylan Titon, Kennesaw State
 
For complete coverage of FGCU cross country at A-Sun Championships, follow on Twitter @FGCU_XC and visit www.FGCUAthletics.com where full recaps and results will be available at the end of the meet.
 
FGCU is led by Cassandra Goodson, whose six seasons at the helm have taken the Eagles from their humble beginnings to a competitive D-I program, highlighted by three trips to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship. Every mark in the FGCU all-time record book has been etched during the Goodson era, as she has coached eight A-Sun All-Conference selections, the 2013 Female Conference Runner of the Year and two members of the NCAA South All-Region Team.
 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.