MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Mississippi College men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete in the 2025 Gulf South Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee. The event, hosted by Christian Brothers University, will feature the league's top distance programs battling for conference supremacy.
The Mississippi College men's team, which climbed as high as No. 31 nationally earlier this fall and currently ranks sixth in the NCAA Division II South Region, will look to continue its strong season and make a push for a top finish. Leading the way for the Choctaws will be Christian Balcer (Hurley, Miss.), Cooper Parmer (Pontotoc, Miss.), Matthew Singletary (Oxford, Miss.), Sidney Stegall (Columbus, Miss.), Baxter Friedman (Fairhope, Ala.), Caleb Whipp (Baton Rouge, La.), Colin Brannon (Madison, Miss.), Matthew Meadows (Montgomery, Ala.), and Charlie Rook (Naperville, Ill.).
Balcer, a veteran senior, has set the pace for MC throughout the fall, while Whipp was named GSC Runner of the Week after a standout performance at the Watson Collegiate Invitational, where Mississippi College swept both the men's and women's team titles. The Choctaws have also produced strong team finishes at the Belhaven Invitational and the Chile Pepper Festival, building momentum heading into championship weekend.
On the women's side, Mississippi College enters ranked No. 25 nationally and No. 4 in the South Region, determined to challenge perennial powerhouse Lee University, which has captured eight consecutive GSC championships. The Choctaws have finished runner-up in five of those seasons, including two years ago's narrow battle when they finished just 13 points behind the Lady Flames.
Graduate senior Lauren Wallace (Hoover, Ala.), a recent GSC Women's Runner of the Week honoree, headlines a talented women's squad that includes Bre Bell (Lexington, Miss.), Taylor Benoit (Carthage, Miss.), Gabrielle Jeffrey (Huntsville, Ala.), Catherine Wallace (Hoover, Ala.), Audrey Mayatte (Pelahatchie, Miss.), Kinley Harris (Trussville, Ala.), Shana Sellers (Pearl, Miss.), and Lilly Jensen (River Falls, Wisc.).
Both teams, under Head Coach Joe Snyder, have shown consistent improvement throughout the season as they prepare for postseason competition.
The women's 6K is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. CT, followed by the men's 8K at 8:45 a.m. CT. The awards ceremony will take place at approximately 9:45 a.m. CT.
Fans can watch live coverage of the meet on FloCollege (subscription required) and follow live results here throughout the morning.
