University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
SEC Cross Country Championships
Blaase Takes 2nd Place At SEC XC Championships
October 30, 2015 | Track & Field
Oct. 30, 2015
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Tennessee senior Chelsea Blaase took second place in the 2015 SEC Cross Country Championships Women's 6K on Friday at Dale Watts Cross Country Course and earned First Team All-SEC honors for the second-straight year.
2015 SEC Cross Country Championships
All-Conference Honors
Women's First Team All-SEC: Chelsea Blaase
Men's SEC All-Freshman Team: Zach Long
Tennessee Men - 11th, 301 points
53. Zach Long, 24:56.90
56. Kyle Walter, 24:58.20
60. Jack Little, 25:03.10
72. Wesley Robinson, 25:15.80
77. Brad Swiney, 25:32.50
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81. Tyler Woodrome, 25:36.20
84. Dartanian Oakley, 25:40.60
100. Andre Hillsman, 26:10.60
Tennessee Women - 11th, 296 points
2. Chelsea Blaase, 19:40.90
65. Julia Rizor, 21:38.70
80. Jessica Rizor, 21:50.90
101. Abby McCulla, 22:17.30
105. Peighton Meske, 22:27.10
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113. Caroline Duer, 22:42.20
121. Emma Reed, 23:06.20
"We're very very proud of Chelsea," Tennessee Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Beth Alford-Sullivan said. "She ran an extremely fast time in tough conditions and had another opportunity to have a great race under her belt. I was really proud of her."
The UT women finished 11th in the 135-runner 6K race and the UT men took 11th in the 115-runner 8K race. Runners battled through muggy and rainy conditions and strong winds in College Station.
Blaase ran with the front group from start to finish and clocked in at 19:40.90. She is now a three-time All-SEC honoree for cross country (Second Team in 2013). Blaase became the seventh Tennessee woman to earn all-conference cross country honors three times in her career, joining program greats Sarah Bowman (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008), Sharon Dickie (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002), Brittany Sheffey (2008, 2009, 2011), Brooke Novak (2001, 2002, 2003), Jasmin Jones (1987, 1989, 1990) and Pattie Weigand (1987, 1989, 1990).
The Tennessee women finished 11th with 296 points. Arkansas won the women's crown with 72 points and the Razorbacks' Dominique Scott won the individual title with a time of 19:23.50.
Blaase was in an 11-runner group at the front by the 2K mark. At the 4,119-meter split the front group was down to Scott, Blaase, Karis Jochen (Texas A&M) and Rachael Reddy (Alabama).
"At one point, probably in the last K or so, Dominique made a surge and Chelsea tried to match it, but was not able to kind of catch her back," Sullivan said. "Hats off to Dominique Scott and Arkansas on the win and Dominique's dominance out there."
UT's freshmen rounded out the next four scoring spots. Julia Rizor was second on the team, finishing 65th at 21:38.70. Jessica Rizor was 80th at 21:50.90, Abby McCulla was 101st at 22:17.30 and Peighton Meske was 105th at 22:27.10. Senior Caroline Duer finished 113rd at 22:42.20 and freshman Emma Reed as 121st at 23:06.20.
The Tennessee men finished 11th with a team score of 301. Arkansas took the men's title with five finishers in the top nine to post the low score of 25. Alabama's Antibahs Kosgei won the men's individual title with a time of 23:24.20.
"I'm proud of our guys," Sullivan said. "They did run hard. They did battle hard, but we certainly did not capitalize with championship times."
Freshman Zach Long led the UT men, placing 53rd in 24:56.80 and was named the Men's SEC All-Freshman Team. Seniors Kyle Walter (56th, 24:58.10) and Jack Little (60th, 25:03.10) were right behind Long. Long and Walter were in the same group through the first 2K, five seconds behind the leaders. By the 5,607-meter split, Walter had worked his way up three spots to 47th place and Little climbed up 11 spots to 68th.
Freshman Wesley Robinson finished 72nd with a PR time of 25:15.70 and freshman Brad Swiney rounded out UT's scoring, finishing 77th in 25:32.50. Freshman Tyler Woodrome finished 81st at 25:36.20, freshman Dartanian Oakley was 84th at 25:40.60 and freshman Andre Hillsman was 100th at 26:10.60 in their first conference meet.
"On all of the freshman today, we ran a little bit of a shell-shocked day," Sullivan said. "It's always difficult for freshmen to garner the intensity of championship racing until they live through it."
The Vols will be back in action on Nov. 13 for the 2015 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships South Regional at Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
