by Benny Benton
CONCORD, N.C. – Barton College sophomore Sharon Kiptoo and junior Heather Cuddington recorded all-conference performances in leading the Lady Bulldogs to a seventh-place finish among 10 teams Friday at the 2015 Conference Carolinas Championships.
Kiptoo, a resident of Eldoret, Kenya, earned All-Conference Second Team recognition after completing the 5K course at Frank Liske Park in a time of 20:27.1, good for 10th place in the 76-runner field. Cuddington, a resident of Saratoga, N.C., claimed All-Conference Third Team honors after racing home 14th with a time of 20:58.2.
The duo helped Barton bring home multiple all-conference awards for the first time since Angelica Del Real and Ericka Skinner accomplished the feat in 2013 with the exact same finishes.
As a team, Barton earned 147 points in placing seventh. Regionally-ranked University of Mount Olive won the meet with 58 points. Limestone College was second with 79, followed by Belmont Abbey College with 110, North Greenville University with 124, King University with 131 and Pfeiffer University with 136.
Despite having the individual race winner in Ashly Sutherland (18:46.3), Converse College trailed the Lady Bulldogs in eighth with 165 points. Rounding out the field were Lees-McRae College (214) and Erskine College (249).
Finishing third for Barton's team behind Kiptoo and Cuddington was senior Jamicia Jones, who posted a time of 21:46.7 in finishing 26th. BC's other senior, Lauren Yoho, followed 10 spots behind in 36th with a mark of 22:30.3.
Providing Barton's final counting score was junior transfer Jayvona McDaniel, who came in 65th with a time of 25:16.2. Rounding out the squad for the Royal Blue and White was sophomore transfer Judith Melly, who placed 70th with a mark of 26:15.1.
The Lady Bulldogs will compete in the 2015 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 7. The meet is slated for a 10:30 a.m. start at Wingate University.
