Lipscomb cross-country runners say their work this season really paid off at the Atlantic Sun championships, but that they want to do even better in the future.
Sophomore marketing major Priya Pappu expressed the team’s constant forward-thinking after its highest finish ever in the conference championship races in Spartanburg, S.C.
“No matter how great we do individually or as a team, being the kind of people we are, we will never be completely satisfied,” Pappu said.
Lipscomb placed second out of 11 teams. A fourth-place finish in 2008 was the highest previous finish for the Lipscomb team.
The LU runners were: freshmen Alex Newby, Danielle Walker, Tessa Hoefle and Cortney Thomas; sophomores Shelby Marvel, Pappu, Ashton Fisher, Isaiah Greer, Tim Muller, Mike Yang, and Geoff Musick; and juniors Ashley Lehman, Louisa Van Batavia, Cathrine Beals, Hunter Hethcoat and Benton Reed.
The A-Sun field included Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.
“We constantly critique ourselves instead of simply being happy with our performance,” Pappu said.”We have an outstanding team that gives their all 100 percent of the time. Our season is not over; I just know that we will have our best race of the season at regionals this weekend.”
Muller said that this wasn’t the boys’ best race.
“It wasn’t the guys’ team’s day,” Muller said. “Bad races are just that–bad races. You can’t prevent them and you can’t change them.
“Moving on and realizing what you have to change to be a better competitor is what makes a real athlete and a strong person. All we can do is work harder and believe in each other to go farther and get better.”
Musick, Walker, Lehman and Newby were placed on the All-Atlantic Sun Conference team. In addition to that, Newby and Walker’s performances also earned them a spot on the all-freshman team. Walker also was honored as all-conference freshman of the year.
Marvel, a communication major, agrees that the team could have run a better race.
“If we would have there is no doubt we would have taken first place,” Marvel said.“It is a bittersweet feeling, knowing that we were so close and didn’t make it, but at the same time it is amazing to know just how awesome of a team we are to even come this far.
“I commend my whole team. Each one of us tried our hardest and never stopped encouraging each other and believing in ourselves.”