Nov. 13, 2005

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - -- Southern Miss' Lady Eagle cross country team placed 14th out of 24 teams at the 2005 NCAA South Regional on Saturday on the UF Golf Course in Gainesville, Fla.

Senior Naomi Kiprotich (Eldoret, Kenya) was the top finisher for the Golden Eagles, covering the 6K race with a time of 21:35.89. Senior Dijana Kojic (Tuzla, Bosnia) was Southern Miss' second finisher at 60th with a time of 22:47.59. Sophomore Brittany Wood (Cape Canaveral, Fla.) was the third finisher for Southern, finishing 89 with a time of 23:29.88. Freshman Ronna Sandoval (Picayune, Miss.) was the fourth Lady Eagle finisher (93) with a time of 23:35.48. Freshman Lila Balamane rounded out the Southern Miss scoring (104) with a time of 23:52.20. Seniors Alisha Edwards (Pensacola, Fla.) and Karen Tankersley (Covington, Tenn.) finished sixth and seventh for Southern Miss in 116 and 128 places, respectively.

Women's Team Results (6K)
1. Tennessee, 76
2. Georgia, 98
3. Florida State, 118
4. Alabama-Birmingham, 162
5. Florida, 178
6. Tennessee-Chattanooga, 198
7. Samford, 199
8. Vanderbilt, 210
9. Georgia Tech, 250
10. Mississippi State, 279
11. Memphis, 316
12. Alabama, 318
13. South Florida, 319
14. Southern Miss, 366
15. Belmont, 385
16. Auburn, 446
17. Florida International, 466
18. Georgia State, 482
19. Jacksonville, 492
20. Miami, 502
21. UCF, 552
22. Mississippi, 579
23. Birmingham-Southern, 648
24. Troy, 648

Top 25 Agate and Southern Miss Women's Finishers (6K) 1. Shannon Womack, Tennessee-Chattanooga, 19:50.16; 2. Angela Homan, Auburn, 20:14.83; 3. Lauren Blankenship, Samford, 20:16.39; 4. Melanie Schultz, Miami, 20:32.41; 5. Felicia Guliford, Tennessee, 20:43.47; 6. Lauren Burks, Georgia, 20:45.09; 7. Laura Bowerman, Florida State, 20:52.59; 8. Elizabeth Ambrus, Alabama-Birmingham, 20:53.12; 9. Leah Soro, Tennessee, 21:01.54; 10. Jill Steffens, Georgia, 21:05.44; 11. Julia Hicks, Alabama, 21:09.90; 12. Katie Flaute, Tennessee, 21:13.78; 13. Zita Maglorie, Mississippi State, 21:20.95; 14. Abi Wilshire, Florida State, 21:29.50; 15. Carly Matthews, Tennessee, 21:30.55; 16. Lindsay Sundell, Florida, 21:33.95; 17. Jessica Hellender, South Florida, 21:34.40; 18. Amy Huss, Vanderbilt, 21:34.86; 19. Julie Eckerly, Vanderbilt, 21:35.33; 20. Naomi Kiprotich, Southern Miss, 21:35.89; 21. Daniele Riendeau, Memphis, 21:36.53; 22. Kiah Vernon, Georgia, 21:42.71; 23. Sarah Madebach, Georgia, 21:45.82; 24. Benta General, South Florida, 21:46.56; 25. Elizabeth Hilligross, Alabama-Birmingham, 21:47.55; 26. 60. Dijana Kojic, Southern Miss, 22:47.59; 89. Brittany Wood, Southern Miss, 23:29.88; 93. Ronna Sandoval, Southern Miss, 23:35.48; 104. Lila Balamane, Southern Miss, 23:53.40; 116. Alisha Edwards, Southern Miss, 24:04.01; 128. Karen Tankersley, Southern Miss, 24:50.99.