GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Mars Hill College Lions and the Carson-Newman College Lady Eagles are the 2002 South Atlantic Conference Cross Country Champions determined at Saturday morning's league championship held at the Greene Valley Development Center. The cross country championships are being held in the conjunction with the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Fall Sports Festival.

Mars Hill wins their sixth consecutive men's title as the Lions had seven runners earn All-Conference recognition finishing in the top 14. Carson-Newman claims its second SAC women's championship as they had four runners finish in the top 10, ending Mars Hill's five-year reign as SAC women's champs.

In the men's championship, Mars Hill lapped the field with 32 points while Catawba College finished second with 79 points, edging out third place Carson-Newman with 81. Catawba was led by 2002 SAC Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year Ryan Willis who finished with a time of 27:31.76 on the 8,000-meter course. Carson-Newman finished third with 81 points, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne College (101), Wingate University (123), Presbyterian College (161), host Tusculum College (173) and Newberry College (181).

Mars Hill's Craig Eckstein finished second with a time of 27:46.41 while Nolan Winters of Lenoir-Rhyne placed third with 28:11.91. Rounding out the All-SAC First Team are Jesse Howes of Catawba, James Thompson and Rocky Oakes of Mars Hill and Lenoir-Rhyne's Adam Stewart. The All-SAC Second Team had five Mars Hill runners including Daniel Amick, Tim Townsend, Chris Rischke, Steven Pearce and Corey Simons. Also on the All-SAC Second Team are Carson-Newman's John Miklas and Ross Lewis of Tusculum.

In the women's race, Carson-Newman had three runners finish in the top five while capturing their first SAC crown since 1995. The Lady Eagles posted 30 points, while second place Mars Hill tallied 54. Tusculum finished third with 84, while Catawba placed fourth at 95. Wingate finished fifth with 98, while Presbyterian accounted for 104 points to place sixth. Lenoir-Rhyne and Newberry didn't score.

Mars Hill's Stacy Mark garnered SAC Runner of the Year honors for a second straight season, smashing the course record she set a year ago with a time of 19:19.97 on the 5,000-meter course. The 2002 SAC Freshman of the Year is Carson-Newman's Margaux Cowan-Banker. Cowan-Banker recorded a time of 20:11.54 to finish second. C-N teammates Jennifer Sauceman and Tina Schowiak also earn spots on the All-SAC First Team. Tusculum harriers Sue Lewis and Amanda Musick return to the First Team, while Erin Coulter garners All-Conference honors for a second straight season. The All-SAC Second Team includes Rachel Retalick (MHC), Tanith Forester (PC), Jessica Brown (C-N), Lindsay Boldt (WU), Whitney Heavner (L-R), Rebecca DeFeo (CAT) and Edith Taylor (C-N).

Mars Hill's Mike Owens was named SAC Men's Coach of the Year for a seventh straight season. The 2002 Conference Women's Coach of the Year is rookie skipper Whitney Lee of Carson-Newman, earning the award for the first time in his career.

The 2002 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional will be held next Saturday in Cary, N.C.

SAC Men's Results

Men's Runner of the Year: Ryan Willis, Catawba SAC
Men's Freshman of the Year: Ryan Willis, Catawba SAC
Men's Coach of the Year: Mike Owens, Mars Hill

All Conference Teams

SAC Women's Results

Women's Runner of the Year: Stacy Mark, Mars Hill SAC
Women's Freshman of the Year: Marquax-Cowan Banker, Carson-Newman
Women's Coach of the Year: Whitney Lee, Carson-Newman

All Conference Teams