HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Covenant Cross Country started the postseason on Friday morning at the CCS Championship. For the second year in a row, the Men's team won first place, behind five runners finishing inside the top eight. The Scots totaled 26 points which is a new CCS Championship record.

The Women's team had a great day of its own, finishing second with 42 points, 10 points behind first-place Asbury. Five of Covenant's six runners placed inside the top-14, earning All-Conference recognition. 

MEN'S RESULTS

• Ethan Saiki led the Scots with an 8k time of 26:22.36 to place second, which is the highest and fastest any Covenant men's runner has ever finished at the CCS Championship. It's the second race in a row that Saiki has finished second after doing so at the Chattanooga Intercollegiate. 
• For the second year in a row, Daniel Bowles placed fourth, this year doing so with a season-best time of 27:14.35. 
• Freshman Trey Mortensen came across the finish line next with a time of 27:23.98 in his first CCS Championship, placing fifth. He was the second-fastest freshman in the meet.
• Alex Burns ran the race in 27:33.37 to bring in a seventh-place finish for the Scots, moving up six spots from the 2024 CCS Championship. 
• With a PR time of 27:40.49, Chandler Lines came through with an eighth-place result, to round out the Scots who contributed to the team score. 
• Aidan DeVries put in a strong effort for Covenant, placing 12th with a PR time of 28:03.14.
• Coming in at 14th and securing the last All-CCS spot for the Scots was Jack Dupree, who crossed the finish line at 28:21.55.
• John Purtill (28:23.78, 16th) and Trey Faulk (28:34.69, 19th) each finished inside the top 20 for Covenant. 
• To see the times of the other 11 Covenant runners, click the results tab on this page. 

MEN'S NOTES

• Ethan Saiki, Daniel Bowles, Trey Mortensen, and Alex Burns each earned First Team All-CCS honors.
• Chandler Lines, Aidan DeVries, and Jack Dupree each made the cut for Second Team All-CCS.
• After the meet, Head Coach Eli Kaczinski was named CCS Coach of the Year for Men's Cross Country. 
• Covenant has now won five conference titles since 2010.
• Saiki's time of 26:22.36 is the second-fastest time of any Covenant runner at a Conference Meet in school history. 
• Alex Burns was Covenant's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team. 

WOMEN'S RESULTS

• The Scots also had a second-place finisher on the Women's side, as freshman Lucie Demers placed second with a PR time of 23:54.02 in the 6k. Finishing second is the best any Women's runner has placed for Covenant at the CCS Championship. It is also the fastest time ever by a Scot in the CCS Championship. 
• Sarah Olson came in at fifth place for Covenant with a time of 24:18.51 as the second Covenant runner to cross the finish line. 
• With a PR time of 25:19.14 and a 10th-place result, freshman Aida Okie cemented her place among the Conference's fastest runners. 
• Right behind Okie was Kenzi Stapleton who had another strong race for the Scots, placing 11th with a time of 25:25.76.
• Rounding out Covenant's team score contributors was Maggie McGinley, posting a season-best time of 26:02.42 to place 14th. 
• Claire Mellott came in with a 20th-place result as she was another Scot who had her fastest time of the year, posting 26:54.59.

WOMEN'S NOTES

• Lucie Demers and Sarah Olson earned First Team All-CCS honors.
• Aida Okie, Kenzi Stapleton, and Maggie McGinley were listed as Second Team All-CCS.
• The Scots have placed second at the CCS Championship three years in a row. 
• After the race, Demers was named CCS Rookie of the Year.
• Claire Mellott was Covenant's representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team. 

UP NEXT: The Scots compete in the CCS Championship Meet on October 31 in Huntsville, Alabama. 

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