November 5, 2010
By Kevin Buczek, St. Andrews Sports Information Director

Results
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CHARLOTTE, N.C.—All four Knights seniors placed in the top half of competition as the St. Andrews Presbyterian College men’s cross country team secured fifth place out of 10 teams in the 2010 Conference Carolinas Championship at McAlpine Creek Park on Friday.

Doug Holt (pictured) had his best race of his senior season as St. Andrews finished two spots higher than picked in the 2010 Conference Carolinas Championships on Friday afternoon in Charlotte.

SAPC – picked seventh in the preseason coaches poll – had quality performances from all five of its runners with three 8k PR’s and two other season best times.

Senior James Walls (Bear Creek, N.C.) once again led the Knights to the finish line. Walls completed the endurance race in a PR time of 26 minutes and 39 seconds. Walls took 17th overall out of 84 harriers. Walls was just two spots from earning All-Conference accolades.

The senior tandem of Doug Holt (Haddonfield, N.J.) and Josh Pickett (Asheville, N.C.) had their best times in an 8,000-meter race all season. Holt captured 31st with a blazing time of 28:06 while Pickett followed just six seconds later at 28:12. Classmate Tommy Wilson (Salisbury, N.C.) also finished in the upper half of the field in 40th with a person record time of 28:43.

“Our seniors carried us through the conference meet this year,” said SAPC first year head coach Micheal Coggins. “Bear [Walls] and Tommy were able to set a couple of lifetime personal bests and that helped us finish two slots higher than last year at the championships.”

Freshman Caleb Mitcler (Green Mountain, N.C.) provided the Royal Blue and White with its final team points when he crossed the finish line in 34.35. The Knights finished two points ahead of sixth place Erskine College, thanks in part to Mitcler finishing ahead of the Flying Fleets fifth runner with his PR performance.

St. Andrews will return to McAlpine Creek Park for the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional hosted by Queens University of Charlotte on Saturday, November 20. The men’s 10k race is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

St. Andrews (8k, 84 runners)
17. James Walls (26:39.3)
31. Doug Holt (28:06.5)
32. Josh Pickett (28:12.4)
40. Tommy Wilson (28:43.8)
78. Caleb Mitcler (34:35.6)