kevin shank - socon race
Todd Drexler/SoConPhotos

Men's Cross Country

Shank named SoCon Freshman of the Year

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KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – After a stellar performance at Friday's Southern Conference Cross Country Championship, VMI freshman Kevin Shank was named the league's Freshman of the Year for his finish at the race Friday morning at the Ivey M. Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville, North Carolina.
 
The Carlisle, Pennsylvania, native earned Second Team All-SoCon honors by placing 11th overall with an 8K time of 25:18.6 to pace the team in the race. The mark is the best finish for a VMI men's runner since Gavin Jenkins placed eighth in 25:48.70 at the 2021 SoCon Championship hosted by VMI at the Lexington Country Club to earn Second Team All-SoCon recognition.
 
Shank has been the top VMI finisher in every race this season as a young leader.
 
Complete Men's Results
 
The VMI men finished eighth overall with 184 points. Furman won the team title with 22 points and was followed by ETSU in second place with 47 points. Both the VMI men's and women's teams defeated The Citadel in the team standings.
 
Fellow freshman Patrick Lowry came in second for VMI with a 32nd-place finish of 26:21.8 and sophomore Benjamin Hagerich arrived in third in 37th place overall in 26:28.7. Also scoring team points for VMI were senior Andrew Hirneisen in 53rd in 27:21.9 and junior Brian Tavenner in 62nd with a time of 27:48.1.
 
Senior Stephen Kelley ran a good race by placing 66th overall in 28:07, and freshman Michael Jorgensen finished 68th in 28:15.0. Senior Trent Whittaker ran his final career cross country race with a time of 28:19, and sophomore John Gibson arrived shortly after in 28:39.
 
 
VMI Director of Cross Country Zack Scott
"We had some great individual performances with our whole team and Athletic Director Jim Miller in attendance. Jillian Sisk and Kevin Shank did a great job leading our teams today. We are still trying to fill gaps, but our teams competed with great individual effort."
 
Team Finishes
1. Furman            22
2. ETSU   47
3. Mercer 112
4. Chattanooga 133
5. Samford   145
6. Western Carolina 166
7. UNCG     168
8. VMI    184
9. The Citadel   237
10. Wofford 307 
 
VMI Men's Runners
11th - Kevin Shank - 25:18.6
32nd - Patrick Lowry - 26:21.8
37th - Benjamin Hagerich - 26:28.7
53rd - Andrew Hirneisen - 27:21.9
62nd - Brian Tavenner - 27:48.1
66th - Stephen Kelley - 28:07.9
68th - Michael Jorgensen - 28:15.0
71st - Trent Whittaker - 28:19.7
76th - John Gibson - 28:39.3
 
 
2023 Southern Conference Men's Cross Country  
Runner of the Year  
Dylan Schubert, Furman  
  
Freshman of the Year  
Kevin Shank, VMI  
  
Coach of the Year  
Robert Gary, Furman and George Watts, ETSU  
  
Pinnacle Award  
Luke Taylor, Furman  
  
All-SoCon First Team  
Dylan Schubert, Furman  
Jason Bowers, ETSU
Cameron Ponder, Furman
Carson Williams, Furman
Evan Guzman, ETSU
Nicholas Goldstein, Furman
Myles Stoots, ETSU
  
All-SoCon Second Team  
Luke Taylor, Furman
Ethan Long, UNCG
Matthew Smith, Furman
Kevin Shank, VMI
David Ahlmeyer, Furman
Aaron Isbell, Chattanooga
Jackson Martin, Chattanooga
  
All-Freshman Team  
Luke Taylor, Furman
Kevin Shank, VMI
Jackson Martin, Chattanooga
Andrew McGinnis, Chattanooga
Braden Seymour, Furman
Chance Underwood, ETSU
Luke Young, ETSU
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Andrew Hirneisen

Andrew Hirneisen

Junior
Stephen Kelley

Stephen Kelley

Junior
Brian Tavenner

Brian Tavenner

Sophomore
Trent Whittaker

Trent Whittaker

Senior
John Gibson

John Gibson

5' 10"
Freshman
Michael Jorgensen

Michael Jorgensen

Freshman
Patrick Lowry

Patrick Lowry

Freshman
Kevin Shank

Kevin Shank

Freshman

Players Mentioned

Andrew Hirneisen

Andrew Hirneisen

Junior
Stephen Kelley

Stephen Kelley

Junior
Brian Tavenner

Brian Tavenner

Sophomore
Trent Whittaker

Trent Whittaker

Senior
John Gibson

John Gibson

5' 10"
Freshman
Michael Jorgensen

Michael Jorgensen

Freshman
Patrick Lowry

Patrick Lowry

Freshman
Kevin Shank

Kevin Shank

Freshman