Mississippi State’s cross country team opened with a team victory for the second straight season, winning the Sewanee Invitational, hosted by the University of the South. The Bulldogs finished with six of the top-10 and 10 of the top-20 runners, one of the best showings in school history at a cross country meet.
Sophomore Meggan Hodge, an all-South runner last season, won the individual title, clocking in at 18:15.75. It is Hodge’s second win overall, with her first coming at last year’s season opener at Alabama-Huntsville.
Sophomore Tiffany McWilliams, an NCAA qualifier in outdoor track last year, finished second overall (18:53.00), coming in behind her teammate Hodge for the second straight meet. The Red Bay, Ala., native finished behind Hodge at last year’s NCAA South Regional.
Freshman Jennifer McPherson came in fourth (19:20.26), making the best freshman showing since Hodge’s first race last year. Fellow freshman Mina Thorstenson placed sixth (19:29.49), with senior Ronni Rudolphi finishing seventh (19:30.39) and frosh Zita Magloire taking eighth (19:32.54).
“We are really excited about Jennifer (McPherson) and our other freshmen,” MSU head coach Al Schmidt said. “We looked really strong today, but we’ll find out how strong we really are next week.”
Freshman Michelle Kinney (19:47.72) crossed the line 11th, the seventh Bulldog to cross the line. Senior Joey Hansen (19:57.49) finished 13th, with sophomore Trina Hobyan (20:00.01) coming in 14th. Cassie Hanan (20:09.03), a sophomore from New Orleans, finished 16th, and sophomore Jackie Rentschler (20:51.93) took 21st.
Freshman Anne Fyfe crossed the line in 22:14.78, finishing 42nd. Senior Martha Hudsonpillar (22:26.74) took 46th, with sophomore Mary Francis Wright (23:18.16) coming in 61st.
It was the Bulldogs’ 13th team win under the tutelage of Schmidt, in his 15th year as head coach of the Bulldogs. This is also the 16th individual victory by a Bulldog under Schmidt.
Mississippi State’s next race is Saturday, Sept. 14 at the FSU Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla.