Winn, Gillen Lead Ole Miss Cross Country at SEC Championships

Ole Miss cross country received a pair of all-conference finishes to conclude the Rebels’ stay at the 2023 SEC Championships, held at South Carolina’s Charwood Golf Club on Friday morning.

The No. 18 Rebel women entered as one of five ranked teams in competition and finished fifth overall at 107 points in a tough championship 6K race, the ninth consecutive top-five SEC finish for the Ole Miss women dating back to 2015. The Ole Miss men, who have been hamstrung by injuries all season long, took sixth in the team battle at 169 points. No. 7 Florida came away with its first SEC women’s title since 2012 with a 49-59 edge over No. 11 Arkansas, while the 8th-ranked Razorback men took the SEC crown by a 19-point difference over No. 22 Alabama, 38-57.

Leading the charge for the Rebel women from gun-to-tape was senior Loral Winn, who finished ninth overall for Second-Team All-SEC honors – her second consecutive year making the All-SEC team. Winn hovered around the top-10 all race long, eventually crossing the line in that ninth-place slot at 19:57.6, her third career sub-20 6K time. Combined, Winn and fellow senior Ryann Helmers own six of the eight sub-20 times in recorded Ole Miss women’s history and are the lone duo with multiple such times – all within the last two seasons.

Winn, a six-time USTFCCCA All-Academic selection and a 2023 graduate of Ole Miss in journalism, was also honored postrace Friday as the SEC Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year – the first such honor in the combined history of Ole Miss women’s cross country or track & field.

Helmers was Ole Miss’ next-best finisher, crossing the line in 18th place at 20:17.5, and was joined in the top-30 by fellow senior Skylar Boogerd (23rd, 20:35.0) and sophomore Sarah Schiffmann (26th, 20:46.2). Other Rebel women in competition on Friday were junior Hannah Ielfield (31st, 20:55.2), sophomore Sophie Baumann (43rd, 21:16.6), senior Kristel van den Berg (45th, 21:20.4), junior Madison Hulsey (70th, 21:46.2), junior Jo-Lauren Keane (75th, 21:52.5), junior Beth Arentz (104th, 22:24.3), and senior Jocelyn Long (110th, 22:32.7).

Sophomore transfer Toby Gillen led the way for the Rebel men, earning Second-Team All-SEC status in his first conference meet with Ole Miss. Gillen finished the 8K race 14th overall at a 15-second PR of 23:28.4, and was one of two Rebels in the top-20 alongside senior Cole Bullock in 20th at 23:47.8.

Other Rebel men running on Friday were junior Jack Meijer (41st, 24:37.8), junior Aiden Britt (47th, 24:46.6), senior Cruz Gomez (57th, 24:59.4), junior Chase Rose (58th, 25:00.8), sophomore Gabe Scales (59th, 25:02.0) and junior Miles Phillips in 76th at a 39-second PR of 25:23.2.

Ole Miss now sets its sights on the NCAA South Regional in Gainesville, Florida on Friday, November 10, where tickets to the national meet will be on the line for both the Rebel men and women.

Women’s SEC Championship • 6K Team Scores

1. #7 Florida – 49

2. #11 Arkansas – 59

3. #23 Tennessee – 80

4. #13 Alabama – 84

5. #18 Ole Miss – 107

6. Texas A&M – 181

7. Vanderbilt – 258

8. South Carolina – 262

9. Missouri – 265

10. LSU – 278

11. Auburn – 283

12. Kentucky – 292

13. Mississippi State – 329

14. Georgia – 371

Women’s SEC Championship • 6K Individual Results

9. Loral Winn – Second-Team All-SEC – 19:57.6

18. Ryann Helmers – 20:17.5

23. Skylar Boogerd – 20:35.0

26. Sarah Schiffmann – 20:46.2

31. Hannah Ielfield – 20:55.2

43. Sophie Baumann – 21:16.6

45. Kristel van den Berg – 21:20.4

70. Madison Hulsey – 21:46.2

75. Jo-Lauren Keane – 21:52.5

104. Beth Arentz – 22:24.3

110. Jocelyn Long – 22:32.7

Men’s SEC Championship • 8K Team Scores

1. #8 Arkansas – 38

2. #22 Alabama – 57

3. #13 Tennessee – 59

4. Texas A&M – 140

5. Auburn – 148

6. Ole Miss – 169

7. Florida – 194

8. Kentucky – 197

9. Missouri – 232

10. Georgia – 250

11. LSU – 370

12. Vanderbilt – 375

Men’s SEC Championship • 8K Individual Results

14. Toby Gillen – 23:28.4 – Second-Team All-SEC – 15-second PR

20. Cole Bullock – 23:47.8

41. Jack Meijer – 24:37.8

47. Aiden Britt – 24:46.6

57. Cruz Gomez – 24:59.4

58. Chase Rose – 25:00.8

59. Gabe Scales – 25:02.0

76. Miles Phillips – 25:23.2 – 39-second PR

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports