Oct. 26, 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Cally Macumber achieved something no other University of Kentucky Wildcat had accomplished in 23 years when she won the SEC Cross Country Championship on Friday.
Macumber stayed at the front of the pack for the entire 6,000 meter race, but trailed Florida’s Florence Ngetich with roughly 100-meters remaining. The UK veteran surged down the stretch to claim the victory by more than a four-second margin with a time of 20:23.29.
The win marked the first individual conference title for any UK woman since Valerie McGovern in 1989. Macumber and McGovern are the only two Wildcats to win the women’s SEC Championship in school history.
“”Today was more about strategy,” Macumber said. “In the last 100, it kind of clicked and I thought I could get (Ngetich). I just went for it and gave it all I had. I tried to hang with the leaders to then go for the kick. Thankfully I was able to do that.
“I’m really excited because the team ran well. Chelsea Oswald was there pushing me the whole time. It’s just a good feeling.”
Macumber, a junior in cross country, now has two individual race wins this season, to go along with a top-10 at every meet the Wildcats have competed in this season.
Oswald also medaled in the women’s individual race as she finished third with a time of 20:35.03.
Oswald’s high finish extended her consecutive top-25 streak to five, dating to the first race of 2012.
The UK women placed fifth overall, while the men finished sixth.
Allison Peare notched a top-25 result crossing the line in a 6K season-best 21:24.54. Anna Bostrom posted a 30th-place time of 21:31.54.
Three Wildcats earned spots on the All-SEC Teams by virtue of their performances at the Conference Meet.
Macumber and Oswald were named to the First Team, while Orta made the Second Team. Macumber and Oswald each received All-SEC honors for the second time in their careers. Orta, a senior, reached All-Conference status for the third time.
Orta was the first Wildcat to finish on the men’s side in 24:10.83 over 8K. Walter Luttrell ensured that two Wildcats made the top 25 stopping the clock in 24:33.32 for 23rd place.
Luttrell lowered his previous season-best 8K time by more than four seconds.
Adam Kahleifeh came in 34th with a time of 24:55.42, and Stacey Eden rounded out the Wildcats’ top-50 finishers with a 40th-place time of 25.08.10.
The Kentucky cross country teams return to action on Nov. 9 for the NCAA Southeast Regional in Charlotte, N.C.
Follow the Wildcats on Twitter and Instagram @KentuckyTrack.
SEC Championships
Percy Warner Park
Nashville, Tenn. | Oct. 26, 2012
Women’s Team Results (6K):
5. Kentucky – 130
Men’s Team Results (8K):
6. Kentucky – 161
Kentucky Women’s Individual Results (overall finish):
1. Cally Macumber – 20:23.29
3. Chelsea Oswald – 20:35.03
25. Allison Peare – 21:24.54
30. Anna Bostrom – 21:31.54
75. Hiruni Wijayaratne – 22:15.29
88. Megan Wright – 22:35.12
91. Mary Kate Ponder – 22:45.65
104. Katherine Doyle – 23:03.64
118. Katy Achtien – 23:41.33
Kentucky Men’s Individual Results (overall finish):
10. Luis Orta – 24:10.83
23. Walter Luttrell – 24:33.32
34. Adam Kahleifeh – 24:55.42
40. Stacey Eden – 25.08.10
62. Mackay Wilson – 25:23.10
68. Jacob Wildenmann – 24:41.10
70. James Brown — 25:42.96
77. Matt Hillenbrand – 25:57.61
92. Jared Phillips – 26:22.43
