Mussante tumbles at the start, FSC women fifth at conference

Randy Lefko
Sports Editor

Posted 12/31/69

LAKELAND - The Florida Southern women's cross country team took fifth overall at the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Championship at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Fla. Saturday morning.

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Mussante tumbles at the start, FSC women fifth at conference

Former Middleburg High cross country standout Emma Mussante was named the Sunshine State Conference co-cross country runner of the year for her outstanding junior season.

Posted Thursday, November 2, 2023 12:05 pm

Randy Lefko
Sports Editor

LAKELAND - The Florida Southern women's cross country team took fifth overall at the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Championship at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Fla. Saturday morning.

Unfortunately, Florida Southern's top runner, Middleburg High's Emma Mussante, who was named the Sunshine State Conference Co-Runner of the Year along with University of Tampa's Aspen Gordon, fell at the race's start and was removed from the race for medical reasons.

Redshirt junior Ellie Fluman and graduate student Cheyenne Young led the way for the Mocs both placing in the top 20. Fluman placed 11th overall after completing the race in 22:33.9. Not too far behind her was Young who crossed the line 18th finishing with a time of 23:11.8.

Fluman earns Second Team All-SSC honors for her top-14 finish her third-straight honor. Junior Emma Mussante was named the SSC Co-Runner of the Year following the race along with Tampa's Aspen Gordon.

The next two Mocs to finish were junior Mya Stam and freshman Emma Nales-Torchio. Stam crossed the line 22nd finishing with a time of 23:28.2. Nales-Torchio came in five spots behind completing the distance in 23:50.1 to place 28th.

The next two finishers for the Mocs placed 34th and 35th place. Freshman Kira Mothershed rounded out the scoring crossing in 34th place with a time of 24:05.0. Freshman Emma Pfeiffer placed 35th completing the race in 24:13.8.

Tampa took home the team title with 32 points followed by Nova Southeastern (56 pts.) and Palm Beach Atlantic (58 pts.). The Mocs were edged by Embry-Riddle (90 pts.) who took fourth followed by the Mocs with 111 points.

Freshman Grace Reed and sophomore Caitlin Beery finished 41st and 45th, respectively. Reed completed the distance in 24:37.3 while Beery crossed the line in 24:48.7. Sophomore Rachel Hockenberry finished two spots behind Beery coming in 47th place crossing with a time of 25:01.0.

The final four Moccasin finishers were junior Jinia Johnson (49th, 25:12.4), senior Emery Roth (54th, 25:28.4), freshman Ashley Girouard (56th, 25:33.3), and senior Carolina Titus (57th, 25:38.0).

The Mocs will now begin preparation for the 2023 NCAA South Region Championship which will be held in Montevallo, Ala. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 4 with the women taking off at 8:30 a.m.