As has become a summer tradition, appstatesports.com is counting down Appalachian State University athletics' 30 most memorable games, matches and meets from the 2015-16 academic year. This year's countdown begins on Tuesday, July 5 and will continue until Tuesday, August 2.
Be sure to check appstatesports.com each day to relive all of the Mountaineers' most lasting memories of an exciting and successful 2015-16.
Women's XC Takes Home Second at SBC Championships
November 1, 2015
HAMPTON, Ga. - Appalachian State University women's cross country replicated its 2014 result at the Sun Belt Conference Championships with a second-place showing on Sunday and a team score of 66.
"I'm very proud of the three young ladies that earned all-Sun Belt honors today," said head coach Michael Curcio. "Tristin went after the win and she found herself breaking away with the girl from Arkansas State (Abbey Dixon). The Little Rock girl (Noora Wallenius) rallied up the finishing hill and dipped by Tristin at the end. We knew South Alabama was good and they went right after it at the gun. Our pack just couldn't get in close enough to challenge them on the last lap."
The Mountaineers were led by Tristin Van Ord for a fourth time in five meets this season and just like last year's league meet, Van Ord finished in second place (17:51.0) to garner first team all-Sun Belt honors. So far in her career, she has competed in 14 cross country events and has accumulated two first-place finishes, six in the top five, nine in the top 10, and 12 in the top 25.
Torre Moser was the next top-15 runner for App State and improved her placing by three spots to 14th with a time of 18:54.9 (third-team recognition). She was pushed along by Hana Ratcliffe in 15th (18:59.9/third team all-Sun Belt) in her first-ever SBC Championship and Dana Cox in 16th (19:01.3).
Samantha Campanaro rounded out the scoring for the Black and Gold and improved her Sun Belt placing by 16 spots from 35th to 19th with a time of 19:14.3.
Natalie Kile (20th) and Brittany Williams (28th) were the final two to finish for Appalachian with times of 19:17.9 and 19:40.7, respectively.
Curcio added, "We found ourselves rallying hard at the end but could only work ourselves into second place. I know we were disapointed with the outcome, but we all certainly left impressed with how the Jaguars put themselves out there as a team. As my family and avid Brooklyn Dodger fans would say, wait till next year."
Individually, Noora Wallenius (Arkansas-Little Rock) earned medalist honors and Abbey Dixon (Arkansas State) came in at third. Team wise, South Alabama took the title with 46 points and UT-Arlington concluded the top three with 84 points.
"It was a heartbreaking loss for the men after a see-saw battle through the first five miles," said head coach Michael Curcio. "Whenever you line up and compete, you want to see your athletes leave everything they have on the course. I can say that I saw every team fighting for every placing out there today. It was a hilly course that covered a 2,000-meter loop four times. Our guys showed patience over the first two laps and moved up through the field on the last two laps."
The Mountaineers were paced by Michael Ellis at the league meet for a second-straight year as Ellis improved his position by three spots to fourth with a time of 25:40.6 and garnered first team all-Sun Belt honors.
Behind the redshirt junior, Andrew Vandenberg shined bright in his first-career SBC Championship with a sixth-place showing and was clocked at 25:52.6 to take home second-team recognition. After placing in the top 10 just once in 2014, Vandenberg has done so three times this season.
Kyle McFoy was the final runner to finish in the top 15 for App State as he crossed the line in 13th with a time of 26:14.6 (third team all-Sun Belt).
"I'm very proud of our three all-conference guys," added Curcio. "Andrew (Vandenberg) is now truly a part of the legacy here at App. He and his father/Hall of Fame member Pete Vandenberg are the first father/son duo to earn all-conference and they did so 24 years apart."
Next for Appalachian was the freshman Ian Milder in 21st and he was clocked at 26:39.4 before Chris Andersonrounded out the Apps scoring in 22nd with a time of 26:41.6.
Evan Laratta (27th) and Cade Zimmerman (43rd) were the final two to finish for the Black and Gold and registered times of 26:51.0 and 27:47.9, respectively.
Individually, the top three consisted of Eric Ojeda (UT-Arlington), Beau Robinson (UL Lafayette) and Christoph Graf (South Alabama). Team wise, UT Arlington took the title with 52 points while South Alabama concluded the top three with 80 points.
Curcio continued, "Two things really stood out to me from this meet. One was watching Mike (Ellis) and Andrew (Vandenberg) push the pace up in the front. Two was watching Evan (Laratta) run himself into the ground. He fell down three times in the last 50 yards, but got up each time and literally crawled across the finish line. He didn't want to let his team down. We know he gave his all for App today. As my family and avid Brooklyn Dodger fans would say, wait till next year."
Appalachian State Athletics' Most Memorable Moments of 2015-16
No. 30: Women's Tennis 4, Georgia Southern 2 (April 20, 2016)
No. 29: App State Knocks Off No. 24 Duke (December 15, 2015)
No. 28: Another 8-7 Walkoff Win Clinches Series Victory (April 4, 2016)
No. 27: Apps Catch Fire in Resilient Win (January 28, 2016)
No. 26: Mountaineers Receive Votes for AP Top 25 (October 15, 2015)
No. 25: Men's Tennis Ousts Troy, Advances to SBC Semis (April 22, 2016)
No. 24: Apps Down GSU with Clutch Plays in Late Moments (Feb. 27, 2016)
No. 23: Frank Eaves Nets 1,000 Career points in 76-67 Win over GSU (Jan. 21, 2015)
No. 22: Jalin Moore Breaks Freshman Rushing Record in 47-20 Win (Nov. 14, 2015)
No. 21: Van Ord Leads App State with 10,000-Meter Win - Sun Belt Champ (May 13, 2016)
No. 20: Broaden Claims Sun Belt Title in 400-Meter Hurdles - Sun Belt Champ (May 13, 2016)
No. 19: Moriarty Cards Career-Low 65; Ties Program Record (March 7, 2016)
No. 18: Pepper Butler Graduates During Special Ceremony (March 19, 2016)
No. 17: Mountaineers Down NJIT, Advance to SBC Semifinal (Nov. 12, 2015)
No. 16: Women's Golf Wins Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate (April 4, 2016)
No. 15: Men's and Women's XC Take Home Second at SBC Championships (November 1, 2015)
