Aspen Gordon Wins SSC Individual Title as UT Takes Women's Championship; Spartan Men Third

LAKELAND, Fla. - The University of Tampa captured the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Cross Country Championship on Saturday as Apen Gordon won the individual title. On the men's side, UT finished third overall as Florida Southern won the team title.

The 2023 championships were hosted by Florida Southern College at Holloway Park in Lakeland on Saturday, October 21.

Results

Men | Women

Women's Championship

Tampa posted a score of 32 to claim the program's 17th SSC Women's Cross Country title. The Spartans put four runners in the Top-10, including the individual champion. Nova Southeastern edged Palm Beach Atlantic, 56-58, for second place. The Sharks had three runners finish Top-6, led by the meet runner-up. Four of the five Sailfish runners finished Top-15.

Aspen Gordon finished the 6,000-meter course in 21:38.6 to become the ninth SSC Women's Cross Country Individual Champion in Tampa history. Her teammate, Emma Skinner, took third in 22:04.3. NSU's duo of Leena Saidi and Eden Toal took second (21:40.0) and fourth (22:10.9), respectively. PBA's Emma Hanstveit rounds out the Top-5 following a time of 22:05.2. She was also the Top Freshman at this year's event. Gordon and Toal repeat as Top-10 performers from 2022.

Women's Team Scores

1. Tampa - 32
2. Nova Southeastern - 56
3. Palm Beach Atlantic - 58
4. Embry-Riddle - 90
5. Florida Southern - 111
6. Lynn - 172
7. Barry - 191

SSC Women's Cross Country Championship Individual Champion

Aspen Gordon, Tampa

SSC Women's Cross Country Championship Top Freshman

Emma Hanstveit, Palm Beach Atlantic

SSC Women's Cross Country Championship Team

1. Aspen Gordon, Tampa
2. Leena Saidi, NSU
3. Emma Skinner, Tampa
4. Emma Hanstveit, PBA
5. Eden Toal, NSU
6. Ally Jakubiak, NSU
7. Olivia Harp, Tampa
8. Emily Kriney, Tampa
9. 9. Sadi Nordmeyer, PBA
10. 10. Taylor Roth, ERAU

Men's Championship

Florida Southern finished with 28 team points to capture the program's 18th SSC championship and first since 2017. The Moccasin's top five runners all finished in the Top-10, with two of their runners finishing in the Top-5. Embry-Riddle finished second, defeating third-place Tampa by six points. The Eagles placed three runners in the Top-10, including the Individual Champion. The Spartans had two runners finish in the Top-10, and all five were in the Top-15.

ERAU's Brendon Shea earned the title of SSC Cross Country Individual Champion after completing the 8,000-meter race in 24:49.7. Shea, who finished third at last year's championship, is the second Eagle to win the SSC title, following in Shaun Bullock's 2018 footsteps. Shea's teammate, Tanner Rosolino, finished second, completing the course in 24:55.9. They are the first teammates to finish 1-2 in the SSC championship since Bullock and Lelei Too did so in 2018. Along with Shea and Rosolino, ERAU's Andrew Stowe repeats as a Top-10 performer from 2022.

FSC's Anthony Matthew and Christian Giller crossed the line in third and fourth, respectively. Matthew bested his teammate by 3.3 seconds following a time of 24:59.6. Tampa's Aaron Englehardt rounds out the Top-5 with a 25:07.9 performance. 

Men's Team Scores

1. Florida Southern - 28
2. Embry-Riddle - 45
3. Tampa - 51
4. Palm Beach Atlantic - 129
5. Nova Southeastern - 154
6. Lynn - 191
7. Barry - 199
8. Florida Tech - 206

SSC Men's Cross Country Championship Individual Champion

Brendon Shea, Embry-Riddle

SSC Men's Cross Country Championship Top Freshman

Nick Scarangelli, Embry-Riddle (17th Place)

SSC Men's Cross Country Championship Team

1. Brendon Shea, ERAU
2. Tanner Rosolino, ERAU
3. Anthony Matthew, FSC
4. Christian Giller, FSC
5. Aaron Englehardt, Tampa
6. Owen Allen, FSC
7. Christopher Colavita, FSC
8. Alex Guy, FSC
9. Andrew Stowe, ERAU
10. Gabe McConville, Tampa