SMC Men's Cross Country Begins Season at 2024 Eye Opener
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Spartanburg Methodist College men's and women's cross country teams began their season at the 2024 Eye Opener hosted by USC Upstate. The men were 17th in a field full of competition across the multiple levels of college athletics including six NCAA Division I schools.
The Paladins of Furman took the team title with five of the top six finishers. The Furman men began the season ranked No. 8 in the USTFCCCA Southeast Regional poll. Ronan O'Neil of Southern Wesleyan was the individual champion with a 15-second victory for the 8k course in 24:50.44. O'Neil qualified as an individual for the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships, finishing in 124th.
The Pioneer men had a gap of :47 seconds between its top five and a 1:49 gap between its top seven runners. Four of the top seven finishers for SMC were making their collegiate debut as the Pioneers are in its first year of NAIA membership which pleased head coach Peyton Shelton. "It was a big day for a lot of our freshman for which it was a big step for them."
The top finisher for SMC was Luke Kochanowicz, who crossed the line in 30:09.52 in 93rd. He was joined in the top 100 by Gabriel Toney (95th, 30:15.92) and Caleb Williams (99th, 30:18.60).
The three were joined in the top five by Andre Kelly III (105th, 30:54.13 and Omarion Ocampo-Rios (107th, 30:57.09). Also racing for the Pioneers were Marc Mixtega, who finished in 31:02.15 and Dylan Seppala in 31:58.71.
