Cross Country

Five From ACC XC Honored After Strong Showings in National Meets

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference today recognized the following student-athletes as ACC Cross Country Performers of the Week for October 23.
 
ACC Men’s Performer of the Week – Kasey Knevelbaard, Florida State, Gr.; Caruthers, Calif.
Knevelbaard finished 15th at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational, leading the Seminoles to an impressive sixth-place team finish with wins over four nationally-ranked teams. Running in a lead pack of 20 throughout much of the race, he finished in an 8,000-meter personal-best time of 23:47.3 amidst a field of 257 runners, which included 10 nationally-ranked teams (three of the top four). The Southern Utah grad and Caruthers, Calif., native was the first of 35 ACC runners across the line, ahead of defending conference champion Peter Seufer (Virginia Tech) and Louisville standout Emmanuel Cheboson.
 
ACC Women’s Co-Performer of the Week – Elizabeth Funderburk, Florida State, So., Moultrie, Ga.
Funderburk turned in the finest big-meet performance of her career, placing 11th at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational, pacing the No. 11 Noles to a fifth-place finish. In FSU’s first 6,000-meter race of the season, the Moultrie, Ga., native shattered her previous best over that distance, finishing in 20:29.1 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course. Against a field which included 10 nationally-ranked teams – four of the top eight – and six ACC schools, Funderburk went out with the lead pack and stayed there to lead all conference finishers. She led all ACC runners in the field as FSU defeated five nationally ranked teams.
 
ACC Women’s Co-Performer of the Week – Anna Rohrer, Notre Dame, Gr., Mishawaka, Ind.
Rohrer earned conference Women’s Performer of the Week honors for the second time this season after leading all ACC runners at the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational with a 10th-place time of 20:10.3 on the 6K course. Rohrer teamed with teammate Maddy Denner (11th place at 20:11) to lead Notre Dame to a 12th-place team finish in the prestigious event. Twenty of the nation’s top 30 teams competed in the 36-team field.
 
ACC Men’s Freshman of the Week – Zach Kinne, Duke, Fr.; Sewickley, Pa.
Kinne was named the ACC Men’s Freshman of the Week for the second time this season after leading all Duke runners at last weekend’s Pre-Nationals. Kinne posted a time of 24:40.4 to place 81st in the talented men’s field.
 
ACC Women’s Freshman of the Week – Kelsey Chmiel, NC State, Fr.; Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Chmiel earned her third ACC Women’s Freshman of the Week honor of the season after leading all first-year runners at the Nuttycombe Invitational. Chmiel posted a time of 20:35.6 in her first collegiate 6K race to finish 34th overall in the strong field and helped the Wolfpack to an ACC-leading third-place team finish.