Jackson, Miss. – For the second-consecutive year, the Lynchburg men's cross country team emerged victorious at the NCAA South Region Championships to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

Chasen Hunt claimed the individual victory in the men's 8k with a 24:29.62 finish. Saturday's result marks Hunt's third first-place finish this season and first regional title. 

Sam Llaneza posted a 24:54.25 finish for third place and ousted three Washington & Lee runners to reach the podium. The grad student passed three runners in the final 3k which would prove decisive in the Hornets' five-point victory.

Ticks later, Corbin Green claimed 11th place with a 25:15.08 finish. Cooper Hurst continued his consistent season with a 13th-place result (25:17.11), while Tor Hotung-Davidsen closed the scoring in 23rd (25:53.66). Though six Emory runners crossed the finish line before Lynchburg's five, the Hornets' front runners sealed the victory and automatic bid.

While several Hornets made moves to end the race, Lynchburg led the field at every split recorded throughout the contest. Finishing with 51 points, the Hornets edged out #23 Emory with 56 and #15 Washington & Lee with 59.

The Lynchburg men's team has now won three-straight meets dating back to the Rowan Interregional Border Battle.

In the women's 6k, Lynchburg finished third in the field, led up front by Allison Dell. The senior crossed the line at 21:44.64 for third place, the lone Hornet to finish inside the top ten. Freshman Adelynn Carpenter finished 12th (22:17.85), while Delaney Saulsbury recorded a 22:56.35 finish for 23rd.

Kristen Werner finished 28th in 23:13.23, while Hannah Edwards closed the scoring with a 32nd-place finish in 23:25.99. In the team totals, #12 Washington & Lee captured the team title with 38 points, while #10 Emory finished with 49 points. 

The top five scorers on the men's and women's teams earned All-Region distinctions for finishing inside the top 35. 

The Hornets' third-place finish on the women's side means Lynchburg will discover its fate when the national qualifiers list is released on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3:00 p.m. 10 teams earned automatic bids by winning their regional championships, and 22 additional teams will receive at-large bids from the selection committee.

For official results from the 2024 NCAA South Region Championships, click here.

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--LYN--