Wingate Wins Fifth Straight SAC Women's Cross Country Championship

GREENEVILLE, TN - The Wingate University Bulldogs claimed the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday morning, earning their second straight league title with a dominant team performance at the conference meet.

Wingate placed all five scoring runners inside the top 10 to finish with just 25 points, outpacing Catawba (38) and Anderson (S.C.) (98). Lincoln Memorial took fourth with 126 points, while Carson-Newman rounded out the top five at 149.

Freshman Abigail Bester led the way for Wingate, capturing the individual championship with a time of 23:08.45, narrowly ahead of her sister and teammate Kiara Bester, who finished second in 23:10.55. Both earned All-SAC First Team honors, with Abigail sweeping the SAC Women's Runner of the Year and SAC Women's Freshman Runner of the Year awards after an impressive debut season.

Catawba's Hannah Caudill crossed in third (23:16.13), followed by Anderson's Kennedy Roush (23:19.84) and Wingate's Firdaouss Hriche (23:28.07) to round out the top five. The Bulldogs also received strong finishes from Sira Bo (7th) and Riya Keshaw (10th) to secure the team victory.

Catawba head coach Jason Bryan was named SAC Women's Coach of the Year after guiding the Indians to a runner-up team finish and placing five runners inside the top 12.

Carson-Newman's Jenna Pittman received the SAC Wealth Enhancement Group Elite 23 Award, recognizing excellence in both academics and athletics.

2025 All-South Atlantic Conference Women's Cross Country  All-Conference Teams

All-SAC First Team
Abigail Bester, Wingate
Kiara Bester, Wingate
Hannah Caudill, Catawba
Kennedy Roush, Anderson
Firdaouss Hriche, Wingate
Natalie Almond, Catawba
Sira Bo, Wingate

All-SAC Second Team
Madison Clay, Catawba
Morgan Pollard, Catawba
Riya Keshaw, Wingate
Emma Whitaker, Anderson
Eden Barnwell, Catawba
Keirieonna Wilson, Carson-Newman
Weslyn McIntosh, Lincoln Memorial

All-SAC Third Team
Jenna Pittman, Carson-Newman
Sophie Ratcliff, Mars Hill
Lydia Slemp, UVA Wise
Sara Carrato, Wingate
Hope Edmunds, Anderson
Joanna Owczarz, Catawba
Baia Touza, Wingate

SAC All-Freshman Team
Abigail Bester, Wingate
Kiara Bester, Wingate
Morgan Pollard, Catawba
Sophie Ratcliff, Mars Hill
Sara Carrato, Wingate

Major Awards
SAC Women's Runner of the Year – Abigail Bester, Wingate
SAC Women's Freshman Runner of the Year – Abigail Bester, Wingate
SAC Women's Coach of the Year – Jason Bryan, Catawba
SAC Wealth Enhancement Group Elite 23 Award – Jenna Pittman, Carson-Newman

Team Results

1. Wingate – 25

2. Catawba – 38

3. Anderson – 98

4. Lincoln Memorial – 126

5. Carson-Newman – 149

6. Lenoir-Rhyne – 179

7. Mars Hill – 194

8. Emory & Henry – 235

9. UVA Wise – 241

10. Tusculum – 275

11. Newberry – 304

12. Coker – 325