GEORGETOWN, Tx. - With three finishers in the top-10, Trinity earned their first Southern Athletic Association Men's Cross Country Championship on Saturday. Zachary Benner earned the individual first place honor to give Oglethorpe back-to-back individual first place years.
Trinity led the way with 48 points to cruise by runner up Centre (75) and Berry (77).
After a brief weather delay just as warmups wrapped up, the SAA Men’s Cross Country teams gathered and delivered an outstanding championship race.
Oglethorpe’s Benner shattered the SAA Championship record with an incredible 24:35.5, earning SAA Athlete of the Year honors. He overtook the previous mark of 24:46.3 set last season by teammate Ashton Deriso, who finished as this year’s runner-up in 25:05—a performance that now gives him two top-five times in SAA championship history.
Newcomer Keenan Smith made an immediate impact in his college debut season, placing third in 25:17.4 and earning SAA Rookie of the Year recognition.
Rounding out the top five were Reeve VanDemark of Centre in fourth (25:38.2) and last year’s Rookie of the Year, T. Harris, who finished fifth (25:38.3).
The 2025 SAA Coaching Staff of the Year honor went to Trinity University, led by head coach Emily Daum.
Men's Champion - Trinity University
Men's Athlete of the Year - Zachary Benner, Oglethorpe
Men's Rookie of the Year - Keenan Smith, Berry
Coaching Staff of the Year - Trinity University
Men's First Team All-SAA
Zachary Benner, Oglethorpe (24:35.5)
Ashton Deriso, Oglethorpe (25:05.0)
Keenan Smith, Berry (25:17.4)
Reeve VanDemark, Centre (25:38.2)
T Harris, Berry (25:38.3)
Men's Second Team All-SAA
Eli Bliss, Trinity (25:46.2)
Nathaniel Trevino, Trinity (25:53.2)
George Mikhael, Trinity (25:56.9)
Jack Collins, Sewanee (25:57.4
Jackson Luskin, Centre (26.02.4)
Men's Honorable Mention:
Thomas Melina Raab, Trinity (26:03.6)
Diego Donald, Rhodes (26:04.2)
Troy Blackwood, Berry (26:07.2)
Owen Foster, Rhodes (26:09.2)
Jack Hinds, Rhodes (26:09.3)
All-Sportsmanship Team:
Berry - Troy Blackwood
Centre - TBA
Millsaps - Greer Hernandez
Oglethorpe - TBA
Rhodes - Diego Donald
Sewanee - Christian Myer
Southwestern - TBA
Trinity - TBA
For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools or go to the SAA’s home on the internet at www.saa-sports.com. Stay up to date on all Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.