NEED TO KNOW:

WOMEN:
Women's Athlete of the Year: JAYCIE PONCE
Women's Coach of the Year: Jamie Jimison
All-CCS First Team: Ponce, Skyler Seeber, Anna Gibson
All-CCS Second Team: LEEANN LAWRENCE

MEN:
All-CCS Second Team: JACOB BALOT, LAYTON BRADFORD, TUCKER COX, DARIUS SMITH

DEMOREST, Ga. - After an incredible day Saturday at the inaugural Collegiate Conference of the South Cross Country Championships in Grady, Alabama, eight Lions across the men's and women's cross country teams earned All-Conference recognition.

Highlighted by JAYCIE PONCE being named Athlete of the Year and Head Coach Jamie Jimison earning Coach of the Year, four from the women's side earned All-CCS honors as well as four from the men's side.



 

Hear from the champ herself!

JAYCIE PONCE, your 2022 @CCofSouth Women's Cross Country Champion! ?? pic.twitter.com/eiSBNnWxjl

— Piedmont Lions (@PiedmontLions) October 30, 2022

JAYCIE PONCE, Women's Athlete of the Year, All-CCS First Team
 

Ponce took home the individual title on Saturday, following in the footsteps of VAL ANGEL, who went back-to-back in the spring and fall of 2021 at the USA South Championships. Ponce's outstanding showing led the Lady Lions to the team title, the first conference crown for the program since 2016. Her time of 22:51.1 claimed the win by over 10 seconds and was just two seconds off Angel's program-record pace, set at last season's NCAA Championships.

Jamie Jimison, Women's Coach of the Year
 

In his fourth season leading the cross country programs, Jimison earns his first title in Piedmont's inaugural year in the Collegiate Conference of the South. After having to replace record-holder Angel, Jimison was able to push the young squad to new heights while also coaching the men's team to a second-place finish.

Anna Gibson, All-CCS First Team
 

The freshman from Cahoun, Georgia delivered a personal-best time of 25:04.5 and a top-five finish to help the Lady Lions take the championship.

Skyler Seeber, All-CCS First Team
 

Seeber rounded out the top-five, finishing just six seconds behind Gibson's pace to round out the first team honorees for Piedmont.

LEEANN LAWRENCE, All-CCS Second Team
 

Lawrence also delivered a PR with a time of 25:38.8, good enough for ninth overall in the event and giving Piedmont four of the top-nine in the race.


Men: 

LAYTON BRADFORD, All-CCS Second Team
 

The sophomore led the Lions, knocking on the door of a top-five finish while delivering a personal-best time of 26:50.7. Bradford began a run of Lions as Piedmont totaled four of the five second team honorees.

DARIUS SMITH, All-CCS Second Team
 

The senior from Duluth earns All-Conference honors for the second time in his career after being a USA South West Division First Team in the spring of 2021. This time, Smith came in right on the heelds of Bradford with a seventh-place finish and a time of 27:09.2

JACOB BALOT, All-CCS Second Team
 

Balot completed the run of three consecutive Lions, crossing the line in eighth with a 27:23.2

TUCKER COX, All-CCS Second Team
 

Cox vaulted himself into the top-10 in the race thanks to a personal-best by 15 seconds as the junior from Statham, Georgia crossed the line in 27:31.8