TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (November 15, 2024) – The University of North Alabama cross country teams ran in the 2024 South Regional in Tallahassee, Fla. on Friday, Nov. 15. True freshman Brian Bett made his regional debut in 20th with a time of 30:34.9.
Bett's time of 30:34.9 bests the school record by five seconds, which was set by Evan Allen at the 2022 South Regional race. The top-25 finishers are named to the South All-Region team. Bett is the first Lion with an All-Region selection in the Division I era. The last All-Region team was nabbed by Justin Watson in 2017 during the Division II era.
"The polls don't matter," said head coach Connor Callahan in a Thursday night team meeting. "Rank us off of this race."
As they should.
The men's team finished 15th overall, where they polled earlier in the season after the UNA Invitational in September. In 2023, the Lions claimed 22nd for the South Regional meet. The 2024 race saw them fly up seven slots.
"We weren't ranked," said Callahan. "We were ranked one time — we were 15th. We thought, 'yeah that's where we should be.' We should be in the top-15. We show everybody we deserved it, respect us for what we are and what we are developing here. We should have been 15th all season long, and we showed it today."
They finished with 422 total points on the day, a comfortable 16-point lead over Vanderbilt and just 11 shy of former ASUN member Kennesaw State. The team bests Power Four teams such as Miami and Vanderbilt while also beating out ASUN teams FGCU and Stetson.
"Embrace the moment," said Callahan in the meeting. "Enjoy these things and embrace the experience. We know what the goal is, we are trying to make history (as he motions to Bett)."
Coach alludes to being the first Lion sent to nationals, even as an individual. However, another piece of history was made if the record book is picked up and dusted off. The top-five Lion runners all cement themselves into the top-11 of the 10k school record.
Bett, freshman Vincent Chepkwony, senior Adam Nipper, sophomore Brent Lyon and senior Noah Bonsall all finished inside the top-130 of runners. Bett and Chepkwony were both in the top-10 heading into the 3K stride of the race, hanging with the likes of Florida, Alabama and Ole Miss runners.
Chepkwony, like Bett, debuted in this race at 47th with a time of 31:21.8. Nipper had to find an extra gear in the final stretch as North Florida's Sebastian Hernandez started gaining on him. In full stride, Nipper claimed 113th with a time of 33:01.9, giving him a PR by two seconds.
Lyons came in just a couple pegs down at 118th, bettering a group filled with Mercer, Georgia, Kennesaw State, Chattanooga and Vanderbilt. His time of 33:13.6 gave him a PR as well, 42 seconds faster.
Bonsall, who rounds out the top-five, placed 127th with a 33:28.9 time. The senior already has his name in 14th – now 19th after the new additions – for the 10K school record with a time of 33:42.09. He grabs a final PR and notches a higher etching in the history books.
Bett broke the school record landing him the top spot. Chepkwony slid into fourth, above Barry Fitts in 1984 by 30 seconds. Nipper lands in ninth behind Brandon Lee who recently graduated. Lyon climbs to the 12th spot and Bonsall notches 15th all-time.
"The long history that this program has had you go back years and years," said Callahan following the race. "To just have that data is crazy."
Sophomore transfer Aidan Shannon is the sixth PR of the day with a time of 34:24.1, coming a day after his 20th birthday. While at Ohio Dominican University, Shannon set his 10K time at 35:14.34 in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region meet. Senior Connor Jackson closes out the group at 161st place with a time 34:47.1.
"Ladies, can we continue to move forward in the second half of the race," said Callahan in the team meeting. "We did it at Conference. We have good energy. We are relaxed. We are ready to go."
On a sandy, mossy terrain, the women ran their third 6K of the season, finishing 29th. One of six seniors, Laura Mobley, led the way with a time of 22:45.6, seven seconds off of a new PR. Janeth Jepkirui was the second finisher for North Alabama with a 23:03.3 time.
Gracie Mathews and Emily Daniel finished with times of 23:14.6 and 23:59.5 respectively. Aaliyah Charo nails a new PR with a 24:01.6 run and Ashlyn Anderson wraps up the group running 24:22.1.
The lone underclassman, sophomore Camille Etheridge, flew through the Tallahassee course setting a blazing PR. Taking the outside curve and pushing past the likes of FGCU and Belmont for a 23:10.2 finish. Her previous best came at 24:10.9.
As the sun started to set over the course, the emotions started to set in for the North Alabama seniors. Eyes swell, hugs come from every direction, parent's cameras shutter as the races come to a close.
However, no one encapsulated these actions more than Beth Ann Tucker. A senior women's cross country runner, turned impromptu assistant coach for the 2024 season. During the summer, Tucker was sidelined with an injury that finalized her North Alabama career.
Callahan took over the UNA programs in the middle of August. Tucker, right there by his side, was the unsung hero for the team in many different ways this year. As the emotions overtook her, the culmination of the year set in.
The early morning practices, making sure the team was timely, travel itinerary, cheerleader, photographer, social media manager all wrapped in one while being a full-time student, with a smile in tow.
"If it wasn't for Beth Ann, I don't know how this team would have managed," said Callahan. "The right gear, food on every trip, telling me spots to practice, all of it. When you have someone injured, it is easy to say I have better things to do. To have someone so selfless, that is there for everyone else, I hope she felt she got the recognition from me. Without her, we are not the same team, not the same leadership. I am going to miss her, I will tell you that."
Tucker, the epitome of the cross country program, wiped away tears to congratulate all of her senior teammates on their race. For the final time, she puts her arm around the nine other seniors that accompany her to take their picture.
Callahan, named the head coach on Aug. 7, sees his first season come to a finish at North Alabama. The season started in Memphis on Aug. 31 at the Memphis Auto Twilight.
In his short time thus far, between both teams, he secured seven top half finishes. He lifted the women's team to their best conference finish outside of 2020 and tied the men's best conference finish. He notches the first ever All-Region selection in Division I. Bett claimed four ASUN Freshman of the Week awards with three ASUN Runner of Week awards. Callahan coached Bett and Chepkwony to the ASUN All-Freshman team and Bett to win the ASUN Freshman of the Year.
As he looks back on his inaugural year, a big breath ensues as every emotion hits him at once.
"It is a great group," Callahan said after wiping away those emotions. "I couldn't have asked for a better group to come into. To just never bat an eye – not one person ever questioned the buy-in to this team. It means the world to me. What is being developed here is special."
The lasting moments of the 2024 season settle in as the team loads back into their respective 15-passenger vans. As the pages dwindle on the remaining chapter, 12 seniors exit the program, leaving a lasting impression on the courses and the record book.
"When you go back and look at what these seniors have done," said Callahan. "They have been through a little bit of everything. They have had three coaches, ups and downs, race changes, hardship – they have dealt with anything and everything. To see them go out and break records, says a lot about the group we had."
Callahan and the Lions' cross country programs will compete again in 2025.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
