Women's Cross Country | November 14, 2020

OAKWOOD, Ga. – The University of South Carolina Aiken women's cross country team notched four personal-best times en route to the program's best finish since 2011 as the squad posted an eighth-place effort at the 2020 PBC Championship Saturday morning.

Since 2011, no USC Aiken women's cross country team had placed higher than 10^th (2017 the team placed 10^th in an 11-team field).

Flagler won the tiebreaker with North Georgia for the title. UNC Pembroke finished third. The Pacers (220 points) bested Lander (255), Young Harris (272) and Francis Marion (286). Georgia College did not compete at the PBC Championship.  

Head coach Lauren Etheridge's squad was led by two-sport standout Lauren Sigmon. The first-year runner garnered a personal-best time of 20:33.0, taking 32^nd place.

Sophie King finished 43^rd in a time of 21:32.9. She finished 14 places higher at the PBC Championship than a season ago.

Fellow two-sport standouts Paige D'Agostin and Charlotte Mannella finished 45^th and 47^th, respectively. D'Agostin crossed the finish line in 21:59.1 while Mannella tallied a personal-best time of 22:07.4.

Newcomer Kacie Abney also established a personal-best mark. She finished in 22:42.9, earning a 53^rd-place finish.

Alli Bell, a former all-PBC volleyball standout, also picked up a personal-best time at the meet. Bell sported a time of 23:49.9 for 61^st place.  

Elizabeth Colon-Laborde finished 63^rd after crossing in 24:17.9 at her first league championship.

The 5k event was hosted by North Georgia.

At the awards ceremony, Sophie King was recognized as the Elite 16 award winner for having the highest GPA and most hours completed by any student-athlete at the meet.

Complete Results: http://results.tfmeetpro.com/TimingInccom/2020_Peach_Belt_Conference_Cross_Country_Championship/#event4