Three Lions Named USTFCCCA All-Region
Three Mars Hill student-athletes were selected to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Southeast Region teams
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Three Mars Hill student-athletes were selected to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Southeast Region teams. Jordan Bair, Justin Gragg and Alex Griggs garnered the awards.
To be named All-Region, an athlete must either be ranked in the top-5 of an individual event in the region according to final Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) data or be part of a top-3 relay team.
Bair, only a freshman at Mars Hill, made the Southeast All-Region team in the pole vault this year. Assistant Coach Brad Nagel stated, "She progressively got better throughout the season. She cleared bars at 9'10", 10'0", 10'2" and 10'6". She finished fifth at the SAC Championships and then went on to Western Carolina two weeks later to jump her season best of 10'6". Nagel added, "Jordan is an extremely hard worker and I know that she can do great things in the coming seasons. Jordan was our second fastest 200-meter runner for the season and showed some great potential in the hurdle races as well."
Gragg won the 5K at both the Coastal Carolina Invitational and the Wofford Terrier Relays. At Hillsdale Gina Relays, Justin actually finished just ahead of Griggs with a time of 30:00.13. It is the new MHU record and placed Justin 20th in the nation.
At the Raleigh Relays on March 25, Griggs broke a 10-year old MHU record in the 10K at 30:30.69. The previous record was held by Jon Stoehr at 30:59. Alex's time was a provisional national qualifying time. On April 28, at the Hillsdale Gina Relays, Alex ran the 10K and broke his record again with a time of 30:03.96 placing him 24th in the nation. Alex also finished first in the 5K at the Berry College Victor Ice Breaker Duels. Competing in cross country, Griggs was both the SAC and Southeast Region Runner of the Year and finished 28th in the nation at the National Championships. Alex became the first All-American in the history of MHU Cross Country.
"Alex and Justin both have come so far in their time here at Mars Hill as both runners and as young men. They saved the best for last each having the best race of their careers at their final collegiate meet. To put it into perspective, they both ran 1:30 faster in back-to-back 5K's in their 10K race then they ever ran in any single 5K during their high school careers. What they achieved is unbelievable", stated head coach Mike Owens.
