CHARLOTTE – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's cross country team closed out its 2012 season by finishing 23rd as a team at the 2012 NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Southeast Region Championship at McAlpine Creek Park.
USC Aiken claimed a total team time of 2:13:02.40.
For the second consecutive meet, USC Aiken junior Keely Gillespie (Belvedere, S.C./North Augusta) set a new school 6K record in finishing 13th at the Southeast Regional. Gillespie's time of 23:24.2 allowed her to best her time of 23:40.26 that she ran at the 2012 Peach Belt Conference Women's Cross Country Championship in Montevallo, Ala. on Saturday, Oct. 20.
Gillespie's 13th place finish Saturday also allowed her to be named to the All-Southeast Region team.
Hillary Spears (Bellbrook, Ohio/Northwood University) was the next Pacer finisher, ending her efforts in 108th place with a time of 26:29.1.
Alexis Harvin (Las Animas, Colo./Las Animas HS) finished in 148th with a time of 27:27.1, while Brittany May (Augusta, Ga./Greenbrier HS) ended her efforts on the day in 154th with a time of 27:47.8. Samantha Lisek (Zebulon, N.C./East Wake Academy) was right behind May in 155th with a time of 27:53.6.
Kayla Millholland (Hampton, Ga./Luella HS) ended the event in 158th with a time of 28:08.4. Morgan Payne (Leesville, S.C./Pelion HS) concluded the regional in 162nd with a time of 28:29.4.
Columbus State at 87 points claimed top honors among the 27-team field. The Cougars finished with a total team time of 1:57:43.80. Clayton State finished second with 97 points, while UNC Pembroke claimed third with 105 points. The three PBC schools move on to the national championship meet. The national championship meet will be held in Joplin, Mo. on Saturday, Nov. 17. Missouri Southern is hosting the national championship meet.
In a meet that featured 182 total runners, Kaley Glover of Montevallo acquired top honors at the regional with a time of 22:40.4. Wingate's Keeley Wood was in second with a time of 22:54.3. UNC Pembroke's Liva Mahaffie claimed third with a time of 22:55.7.
USC Aiken closes out its 2012 campaign having finished in the top-10 in three out of its five meets.
The best finish of the year for USC Aiken came by winning the 5K Francis Marion Invitational on Sept. 14 at the Freedom Florence Recreational Complex.
The team victory was the first for the Pacers since claiming the team title at the Siemens Technologies/USCB Invitational in 2007. USC Aiken now has four team meet victories in program history.
Gillespie picked up her first career individual meet win in the Francis Marion Invitational.
