The University of Mississippi Athletics
Friday, November 12
Huntsville, Ala.
8:30 AM
Ole Miss
vs
NCAA South Regional
Cross Country Sweeps NCAA South Region Titles
11/12/2021 | Cross Country
Both Rebel Squads Now Qualified for NCAA Championships for Sixth Straight Year
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Ole Miss cross country asserted its dominance, leading wire-to-wire as both the Rebel men and women came away as NCAA South Region champions to punch their tickets to the national meet at the NCAA South Regional on Friday morning.
This is the sixth consecutive year both Ole Miss squads have qualified for the NCAA Championships, the sixth in a row for the Rebel women after having never qualified prior to 2016, and the eighth in a row for the Ole Miss men after never going prior to 2014. This is the fifth South Region championship for the Rebel men in the last seven years, notching wins in 2014, 2016 and now three in a row with 2018, 2019 and 2021 (there was no regional meet in 2020). On the women's side, this is the second South Region team title and their first since 2017. This is the first time the Rebels have swept the regional meet, and Ole Miss is the first school to sweep the South since Florida State in 2012.
The No. 15 Rebel women started off the morning, and were impressive right out of the gate. Ole Miss was firmly in command from gun to finish, never leading by fewer than 16 points at any of the split markers. The Rebels posted another incredible scoring spread of just 30.4 seconds, their best of the season that pushes their average since running in Huntsville on Sept. 17 down to 38.44 seconds. The Rebels beat out No. 9 Florida State and No. 11 Alabama for the team title, winning by a score of 69-86-99.
Ole Miss tied a women's program record with five All-Region runners in the top-25, led by another spectacular performance from junior Sintayehu Vissa. The Italian native, who enrolled at Ole Miss in January and has only run in six cross country races as a Rebel, clipped another 21 seconds off her 6K best from Pre-Nationals last month, leading the way in fifth place overall at 19:54.65 (the best 6K time run by a Rebel since Clio Ozanne-Jaques in 2018). Vissa's fifth place finish also ties Ozanne-Jaques' fifth-place showing in 2018 for best regional finish in Ole Miss women's history, adding to her program record sixth-place SEC finish two weeks ago.
Senior Anna Elkin had an excellent day on the course as well, dropping eight seconds off her 6K PR to finish 10th at 20:05.85 for her second career All-Region honor. All five Rebel scorers were within the top-20, as Vissa and Elkin were followed by fellow All-Region runners Ryann Helmers (15th, 20:17.04, PR), Kristel van den Berg (19th, 20:25.30, PR) and Ozanne-Jaques in 20th at 20:25.52 – her third career All-Region award. Other Rebel women running included Loral Winn in 39th (20:59.18) and Skylar Boogerd in 42nd (21:02.80).
The No. 19 Ole Miss men won the 10K in equally dominant fashion, leading from start to finish with a wide margin of 50-plus points before Alabama started to close the gap late. The Rebels (68) beat out Alabama (79) and No. 23 Florida State (112) for the title, and they did it with a program-record seven All-Region performances on seven PRs.
Four Rebels all broke 30 minutes and crossed the finish line at nearly the same time within 0.32 seconds of each other: Dereck Elkins (11th, 29:51.23, PR), Mario Garcia Romo (12th, 29:51.29, PR), Cole Bullock (13th, 29:51.45, PR) and Michael Coccia (14th, 29:51.55, PR). Ben Savino was the fifth scorer in 18th place at 30:29.49, giving the Rebels a tight scoring spread of their own at 29.3 seconds. This was the first All-Region honor for both Elkins and Bullock, while it was the third career for Garcia Romo and second for both Coccia and Savino.
Also running for Ole Miss and earning All-South Region honors were Nick Moulai (19th, 30:21.53, PR) and Cade Bethmann (22nd, 30:32.86, PR).
The NCAA Selection Show is set for 4 p.m. CT on Saturday (Nov. 13) on NCAA.com, but with the team sweep the Rebels already know their fate: they are going back to Tallahassee for the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, which will be held at Florida State next Saturday, November 20.
Women's 6K Team Scores
1. #15 Ole Miss – 69
2. #9 Florida State – 86
3. #11 Alabama – 99
4. Tennessee – 121
5. Florida – 135
6. Vanderbilt – 175
7. Lipscomb – 194
8. Middle Tennessee – 198
9. Georgia Tech – 228
10. Auburn – 309
11. Southern Miss – 361
12. Georgia – 364
13. Miami – 414
14. Kennesaw State – 430
15. UCF – 455
17 Others
Women's Individual Results
5. Sintayehu Vissa – 19:54.65 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
10. Anna Elkin – 20:05.85 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
15. Ryann Helmers – 20:17.04 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
19. Kristel van den Berg – 20:25.30 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
20. Clio Ozanne-Jaques – 20:25.52 – All-Region (3rd career)
39. Loral Winn – 20:59.18
42. Skylar Boogerd – 21:02.80
Men's 10K Team Scores
1. #19 Ole Miss – 68
2. Alabama – 79
3. #23 Florida State – 112
4. Lipscomb – 130
5. North Florida – 143
6. Middle Tennessee – 178
7. Tennessee – 228
8. Florida – 252
9. South Alabama – 296
10. ETSU – 301
11. Georgia – 308
12. Vanderbilt – 315
13. Georgia Tech – 316
14. Auburn – 322
15. Belmont – 339
10 others
Men's Individual Results
11. Dereck Elkins – 29:51.23 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
12. Mario Garcia Romo – 29:51.29 – PR – All-Region (3rd career)
13. Cole Bullock – 29:51.45 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
14. Michael Coccia – 29:51.55 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
18. Ben Savino – 30:20.49 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
19. Nick Moulai – 30:21.53 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
22. Cade Bethmann – 30:32.86 – PR – All-Region (3rd career)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
This is the sixth consecutive year both Ole Miss squads have qualified for the NCAA Championships, the sixth in a row for the Rebel women after having never qualified prior to 2016, and the eighth in a row for the Ole Miss men after never going prior to 2014. This is the fifth South Region championship for the Rebel men in the last seven years, notching wins in 2014, 2016 and now three in a row with 2018, 2019 and 2021 (there was no regional meet in 2020). On the women's side, this is the second South Region team title and their first since 2017. This is the first time the Rebels have swept the regional meet, and Ole Miss is the first school to sweep the South since Florida State in 2012.
The No. 15 Rebel women started off the morning, and were impressive right out of the gate. Ole Miss was firmly in command from gun to finish, never leading by fewer than 16 points at any of the split markers. The Rebels posted another incredible scoring spread of just 30.4 seconds, their best of the season that pushes their average since running in Huntsville on Sept. 17 down to 38.44 seconds. The Rebels beat out No. 9 Florida State and No. 11 Alabama for the team title, winning by a score of 69-86-99.
Ole Miss tied a women's program record with five All-Region runners in the top-25, led by another spectacular performance from junior Sintayehu Vissa. The Italian native, who enrolled at Ole Miss in January and has only run in six cross country races as a Rebel, clipped another 21 seconds off her 6K best from Pre-Nationals last month, leading the way in fifth place overall at 19:54.65 (the best 6K time run by a Rebel since Clio Ozanne-Jaques in 2018). Vissa's fifth place finish also ties Ozanne-Jaques' fifth-place showing in 2018 for best regional finish in Ole Miss women's history, adding to her program record sixth-place SEC finish two weeks ago.
Senior Anna Elkin had an excellent day on the course as well, dropping eight seconds off her 6K PR to finish 10th at 20:05.85 for her second career All-Region honor. All five Rebel scorers were within the top-20, as Vissa and Elkin were followed by fellow All-Region runners Ryann Helmers (15th, 20:17.04, PR), Kristel van den Berg (19th, 20:25.30, PR) and Ozanne-Jaques in 20th at 20:25.52 – her third career All-Region award. Other Rebel women running included Loral Winn in 39th (20:59.18) and Skylar Boogerd in 42nd (21:02.80).
The No. 19 Ole Miss men won the 10K in equally dominant fashion, leading from start to finish with a wide margin of 50-plus points before Alabama started to close the gap late. The Rebels (68) beat out Alabama (79) and No. 23 Florida State (112) for the title, and they did it with a program-record seven All-Region performances on seven PRs.
Four Rebels all broke 30 minutes and crossed the finish line at nearly the same time within 0.32 seconds of each other: Dereck Elkins (11th, 29:51.23, PR), Mario Garcia Romo (12th, 29:51.29, PR), Cole Bullock (13th, 29:51.45, PR) and Michael Coccia (14th, 29:51.55, PR). Ben Savino was the fifth scorer in 18th place at 30:29.49, giving the Rebels a tight scoring spread of their own at 29.3 seconds. This was the first All-Region honor for both Elkins and Bullock, while it was the third career for Garcia Romo and second for both Coccia and Savino.
Also running for Ole Miss and earning All-South Region honors were Nick Moulai (19th, 30:21.53, PR) and Cade Bethmann (22nd, 30:32.86, PR).
The NCAA Selection Show is set for 4 p.m. CT on Saturday (Nov. 13) on NCAA.com, but with the team sweep the Rebels already know their fate: they are going back to Tallahassee for the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, which will be held at Florida State next Saturday, November 20.
Women's 6K Team Scores
1. #15 Ole Miss – 69
2. #9 Florida State – 86
3. #11 Alabama – 99
4. Tennessee – 121
5. Florida – 135
6. Vanderbilt – 175
7. Lipscomb – 194
8. Middle Tennessee – 198
9. Georgia Tech – 228
10. Auburn – 309
11. Southern Miss – 361
12. Georgia – 364
13. Miami – 414
14. Kennesaw State – 430
15. UCF – 455
17 Others
Women's Individual Results
5. Sintayehu Vissa – 19:54.65 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
10. Anna Elkin – 20:05.85 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
15. Ryann Helmers – 20:17.04 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
19. Kristel van den Berg – 20:25.30 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
20. Clio Ozanne-Jaques – 20:25.52 – All-Region (3rd career)
39. Loral Winn – 20:59.18
42. Skylar Boogerd – 21:02.80
Men's 10K Team Scores
1. #19 Ole Miss – 68
2. Alabama – 79
3. #23 Florida State – 112
4. Lipscomb – 130
5. North Florida – 143
6. Middle Tennessee – 178
7. Tennessee – 228
8. Florida – 252
9. South Alabama – 296
10. ETSU – 301
11. Georgia – 308
12. Vanderbilt – 315
13. Georgia Tech – 316
14. Auburn – 322
15. Belmont – 339
10 others
Men's Individual Results
11. Dereck Elkins – 29:51.23 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
12. Mario Garcia Romo – 29:51.29 – PR – All-Region (3rd career)
13. Cole Bullock – 29:51.45 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
14. Michael Coccia – 29:51.55 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
18. Ben Savino – 30:20.49 – PR – All-Region (2nd career)
19. Nick Moulai – 30:21.53 – PR – All-Region (1st career)
22. Cade Bethmann – 30:32.86 – PR – All-Region (3rd career)
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
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