HARRIMAN, TN – Walters State finished in second-place on Friday morning at the Region VII Championships in both the men's and women's races.

The women's race was a 5k, while the men ran an 8k.

For the Lady Senators, Naomi Merrill led the way with a third-place finish and time of 22:21. Merrill's time on Friday was 49 seconds faster than her previous season best and her third-place time earned her All-Conference honors. 

Along with Merrill, Ava Curry got All-Conference honors with a seventh-place finish and time of 24:20. Friday's time was also Curry's season best. 

Cindy de Leon was right behind Curry in eighth-place with a time of 24:23, a season best by a minute, while McKayla Ruchala finished in ninth-place with a time of 24:30. Ruchala's time was also a season best. 

Rounding out the team were Taylor Starnes in 10th-place with a time of 25:21 and Landry Russell in 14th-place with a time of 34:16. 

On the men's side, Gideon Erwin led the Senators with a third-place finish and time of 27:43, earning All-Conference honors. Juan Guillen also earned All-Conference honors with a fifth-place finish and time of 29:18. 

Samuel Runyan was next for Walters State in ninth with a time of 31:08, while Edgar Martinez finished in 10th with a time of 31:38. 

Other finishers for the Senators were Wade Walters in 12th with a time of 31:50, Ignacio Vargas Huipe in 13th with a time of 33:43, Parker Minor in 15th with a time of 35:13, Benjamin Eigenmann in 16th with a time of 37:25 and Walter Kledzik in 17th with a time of 39:20. 

Up Next:

Walters State will be back in action on Saturday, November 9, in Richmond, VA for the NJCAA DII National Championship. The women will run at 9:30 a.m. while the men will run at 10 a.m.