Cross Country Teams Excel At Clemson Invitational

Oct. 16, 1999

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson cross country team competed at the Clemson Invitational held in Jervey Meadows on Saturday morning. The Tiger women’s team won their race, leading the six-team field with 40 points. Georgia Tech was second with 41 points, followed by UNC Charlotte with 56 points. Valerie Young of the Atlanta Track Club won the race in 17:34, and the top collegiate finisher was Becky Megesi of Georgia Tech with a time of 17:51.

The Tigers had four runners among the top eight collegiate finishers. Senior Beth Ahern of Toledo, OH, led the Tigers on the 5K course, finishing second among all collegiate runners with a time of 17:59. She was followed by Erika van Reenen, a senior from Norcross, GA, who placed third with a time of 18:06.

Senior Anne Stowell of Charlotte, NC, placed fifth with a time of 18:21, and junior Jennifer Meador of Mechanicsville, VA, finished eighth at 18:33. Junior Shannon Schoppman completed the Tigers’ top five runners, placing 22nd with a time of 19:17.

Freshman Diane Schillow of Landsdale, PA, placed 32nd with a time of 19:54, and sophomore Abbey Hartman of Ocean View, NJ, finished 39th at 20:35. Sophomore Helena Janecic of Osijek, Croatia, and freshman April Brunson of Hartsville, SC, placed 44th (21:27) and 45th (21:35), respectively. Freshman Stephanie Zabel of Simpsonville, SC, finished 50th with a time of 22:11.

In the men’s competition, UNC Charlotte won the meet with 33 points, followed by Clemson with 34 points. Georgia Tech placed third with 65 points. All of the Tigers’ top five finishers were among the top nine collegiate runners in the race. Kenneth Svendsen of UNC Charlotte won the race in 24:48. Sophomore Jason Meany of Liverpool, NY, led the Tigers on the five mile course, finishing the race in fourth place with a time of 25:28.

Clemson’s next four runners finished in the six through nine positions in the race. Freshman Scott Shaw of East Syracuse, NY, was sixth at 25:45, followed by sophomore Ryan Demers of Shapleigh, ME, in seventh place with a time of 25:50. Senior Steve Alexander of Pickens, SC, placed eighth (26:01), and sophomore B.J. Dillard of Simpsonville, SC, was ninth (26:01).

Freshman Mike Connelly of Winchester, VA, finished 21st with a time of 27:03, and sophomore David Abel of Franklin, NC, was 27th with a time of 27:32.

The Clemson men’s and women’s teams will next compete at the ACC Championships, November 1 in Chapel Hill, NC.