Cross Country finishes fifth place at Atlantic Regional Championship meet

The Slippery Rock men's cross country team took fifth place in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championship on Saturday morning at Cooper's Lake Campground.

The team battle came down to a five-way showdown to see which three teams would travel to the NCAA National Championships.

Edinboro University took home first place, scoring 71 points, just narrowly beating Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania with 76 points. The battle for the third spot was where the real fight was. Shippensburg University earned the final ticket to the National Championship scoring 108 points, just edging East Stroudsburg (110) by two points. Slippery Rock scored 131 points, rounding out the top-five finishing teams.

Sophomore Travis Arrigoni led the Rock with a strong 10th place finish, running the 10,000-meter course in 32:52, and earning All-Region honors.

Despite a tough battle back from injury all season, junior Eric Geddis came through as the Rock's second finisher, placing 26th and running 33:26.

Junior Alex Koksal placed 29th with a time of 33:32. Following him was sophomore Morgan Elliott, placing 30th in 33:36.

Freshman Chris Grooms completed his first 10K with a 36th-place finish in 33:58.

Sophomore Michael Beegle finished 45th in 34:24 and junior Rogers Clements rounded out the SRU competitors, finishing 80th in 35:36.

The Slippery Rock women's cross country team matched the men on Saturday, also placing fifth at the Regional Championship meet.

Shippensburg posted a score of 50 points, running away with their fourth consecutive team title. Lock Haven took home second place, scoring 108 points, and Bloomsburg University rounded out the national qualifiers with 134 points. Edinboro placed fourth with 156 points, and Slippery Rock took fifth with 159 points.

Junior Stephanie Case and senior Kara Styles each placed in the top-25, earning All-Region honors from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Case led the Rock with an impressive 12th place finish, running the 6,000-meter course in 22:54.

Styles crossed the line in 23:20, taking home 21st place for the Rock.   

Freshman Janine Powis was the Rock's third finisher, placing 36th in 23:50. Just trailing her was junior Abby Michaelian in 41st place in 23:56. Freshman Angie Bagwell rounded out the SRU scorers with a 49th place finish in 24:15.

Senior Caitlin Hancox finished her final collegiate cross country race with a 58th place finish in 24:28 and senior Becky Belding crossed the line at 26:41, placing 123rd.

Arrigoni was pleased overall with the results of the season.

"The season went very well," Arrigoni said. "We each grew individually and as a team. Next year is looking very promising for us because we're a young team and we aren't losing any guys. I'm very proud of the team, but now it's time to tear it up on the track."