The Mississippi State cross country team had their highest finish in more than a decade, with two runners named to the all-SEC team at the 2002 SEC Cross Country Championships. The Bulldogs scored 140 points to take fifth place. The team finished in the top half of the conference for the first time in 11 years and the second time in school history.
Sophomores Tiffany McWilliams and Meggan Hodge both earned all-SEC awards, as McWilliams finished sixth (21:47.84) and Hodge took seventh (21:54.24). The duo has finished in the top 10 together three times this season. This marks the first time McWilliams has led the Bulldogs in a meet.
“This is a tough conference,” head coach Al Schmidt said. “The top two ran great races today. We did this with a bunch of young ones, so hopefully we’ll be back up towards the top next year.”
“We’ve worked hard as a team this season,” said Hodge. “We should be just as strong next year.”
Senior Ronni Rudolphi finished 38th overall, finishing the course in 23:14.51. The Moss Point native has only finished out of the top five finishers for MSU once during her four-year career.
Freshmen Zita Magloire (23:41.98) and Mina Thorstenson (23:49.39) took 45th and 47th, respectively, in their first ever conference championship event.
Fellow freshman Jennifer McPherson (24:10.01) finished in 55th place, while sophomore Trina Hobyan (24:11.25) came in 57th. Freshman Michelle Kinney (25:03.65) placed 69th.
Arkansas swept the women’s titles, with Christin Wurth taking the individual crown at 21:04.87. The Lady Razorbacks team finished with 39 points to win the team title for the fourth straight year.
Next up for MSU is the NCAA South Regional in Knoxville, Tenn., on Nov. 16.