Ormsby, Valby Post All-Region Performances

Friday, November 12

Huntsville, Ala. / John Hunt Park

W: 6K @ 9:30 AM / M: 10K @ 10:30 AM

Florida Gators

NCAA South Regional Championships

Ormsby, Valby Post All-Region Performances

Friday, November 12, 2021 | Cross Country

Results (PDF)

By: Casey Montalvo

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Two Gators, Stephanie Ormsby and Parker Valby, posted All-Region performances to lead the women's team to a fifth-place finish out of 33 teams at the NCAA South Regionals competition on Friday, Nov. 12 at John Hunt Park. The men's team finished in the eighth spot with Ethan Geiger leading the squad with a 38^th-place outing.

For the women, Valby led the team for the fifth straight meet after finishing in second place, behind SEC Champion and 2020 NCAA Champion Mercy Chelangat of Alabama, with a new personal-best 6k time of 19:41.38.

Not only does her 6k time rank third in Florida's school history, but it now stands alone as the top NCAA South Regionals 6k time by almost 20 seconds. The previous top 6k regionals time was set by Cory McGee, when she ran a 20:00.10 time in 2013.

Ormsby also collected a personal-best mark in the 6k after running a time of 20:18.03 to place 16th. She recorded All-Region honors and now sits at ninth in Florida's all-time 6k regional marks. In addition to Valby and Ormsby, both Pamela O'Brien and Jordan Shapiro also ran personal bests as O'Brien placed 36^th with a time of 20:56.03 and Shapiro finished 51^st with a mark of 21:08.89. Five of the six Gators competing placed in the top 50 as Vasileia Spyrou was 37^th with a time of 20:57.78 and Imogen Barrett rounded out the top 50 with a 47^th-place finish and a time of 21:07.00.

Coming into regionals ranked No. 6 in the South Region, the women were able to place in the top five for the third time since 2014. Since the South Region began in 1998, only three Gators have placed in the top two spots of the race – Valby is now the fourth Gator to do so. This is also the first time since 2018 that Florida had two women make the All-Region team in the same season.

The men's first 10k race of the season saw all six Gators post personal record times. Geiger, who was the top finisher in four of Florida's five meets this season, was the top Gator at regionals after running a PR of 31:00.75 to place 38^th. Geiger was able to post the sixth best 10k time over the past 10 seasons.

Following Geiger was freshman Joe Wester, who is coming off a great SEC Championships race where he was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team. Wester finished in 43^rd with a new PR of 31:10.09. Another freshman placed in the top 60 as Matt Mule' finished 55^th with a PR of 31:22.07. Cavan Wilson (31:26.47), Michael Fiore (31:28.18) and Reed Legg (32:22.79) all also collected 10k personal bests on the day.

Coming into the race, Florida was ranked No. 9 in the USTFCCCA regional rankings, but placed eighth out of 28 teams in the regional race.

UP NEXT: The NCAA Cross Country Selection Show will air this Saturday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.

WOMEN'S RESULTS
Team Finish
Florida – 5^th of 33 (135 points)

Individual Finishes
Parker Valby – 2^nd, 19:41.38
Stephanie Ormsby – 16^th, 20:18.03
Pamela O'Brien – 36^th, 20:56.03
Vasileia Spyrou – 37^th, 20:57.78
Imogen Barrett – 47^th, 21:07.00
Jordan Shapiro – 51^st, 21:08.89

MEN'S RESULTS
Team Finish
Florida – 8^th of 28 (254 points)

Individual Finishes
Ethan Geiger – 38^th, 31:00.75
Joe Wester – 43^rd, 31:10.09
Matt Mule' – 55^th, 31:22.07
Cavan Wilson – 58^th, 31:26.47
Michael Fiore – 60^th, 31:28.18
Reed Legg – 97^th, 32:22.79

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