WHEELING, W.Va. – Davis & Elkins junior Lauren Twyman cleared the field by 14 seconds to capture the individual women’s crown at the Mountain East Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Oglebay Park. Twyman and her teammates helped Davis & Elkins also claim the team title, ending the University of Charleston’s four-year reign as the team champions.

Point Park’s Cassondra O’Connor finished in second place and swept the individual season awards: MEC Runner of the Year and MEC Freshman of the Year. The season awards are decided by nominations and votes by the league’s head coaches.

Davis & Elkins head coach Jason Pyles was named the MEC Coach of the Year for both men and women.

“I just went out there and ran and I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve never won a collegiate race before,” Twyman said. “I’ve also never beaten my teammate, Lydia, before. It’s surreal.”

Twyman led the 10-person MEC all-conference first team, followed by teammates Lydia Falkenstein (fifth) and Savanna Hartman (ninth). Davis & Elkins scored 41 points as a team, beating four-time defending champion UC (82 points). Point Park finished third with 94 points, ahead of West Virginia Wesleyan (fourth, 100) and Glenville State (fifth, 147).

First Team All-MEC
Lauren Twyman, Davis & Elkins
Cassondra O’Connor, Point Park
Leigha Hall, West Virginia Wesleyan
Carlina Jacquez, Fairmont State
Lydia Falkenstein, Davis & Elkins
Natalie Barr, Glenville State
Beth Sykes, Charleston
Madison Woolwine, Charleston
Savanna Hartman, Davis & Elkins
Sydney Hambel, Wheeling

Second Team All-MEC
Zoe Belshan, Davis & Elkins
Allison Plassio, Point Park
Lindsey Dillon, West Virginia Wesleyan
Mercy Jepleting, Charleston
Ella Hesson, Davis & Elkins
Lacey Dimit, West Liberty
Jana Schmid, Point Park
Megan Mitchell, Fairmont State
Rebecca Tellez, Davis & Elkins
Madison Cornett, Concord

Coach of the Year: Jason Pyles, Davis & Elkins