KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – The 2025 Conference Carolinas Cross Country Championships ended with UNC Pembroke winning the men’s title and the Braves’ Edward Carney winning the individual title. North Greenville University won their second straight title as Megan Knapp of Lees-McRae College was the individual women’s champion.
CHAMPIONSHIP PAGE | MEN'S RESULTS (PDF) | WOMEN'S RESULTS (PDF)
UNC Pembroke won their fourth straight men’s team title with 42 points, topping Young Harris College’s 51 points. The Braves had five runners in the top 20, including three in the top 10.
Carney won the individual title with an 8k time of 25:45.74. Josh Brett of Lees-McRae College finished runner-up in 25:46.76. Young Harris’ Wyatt Whipp finished in 25:47.26 to take third while Kelvin Kibet of UNC Pembroke and Southern Wesleyan University’s Grayson Gillespie rounded out the top five with times of 25:48.41 and 25:55.77, respectively.
North Greenville won their second straight title with four runners in the top 20 and 49 points. Converse University finished runner-up with 88 points and Lees-McRae came in third with 97 points. Mount Olive posted 125 points to take fourth and King University rounded out the top five with 138 points.
Knapp was the individual champion by 30 seconds, covering the 6k distance in 22:25.03. Mount Olive’s Hailey Morgan was the runner-up in 22:55.20 while North Greenville’s Mandi Pollard came in third in 22:57.25. Lees-McRae’s Campbell Dille finished fourth in 23:14.44 and UNC Pembroke’s Malea Bennewitz rounded out the top five, crossing the finish line in 23:27.54.
Please visit ConferenceCarolinas.com/Championships to learn more about all of the 2025-26 championship events in Conference Carolinas.
2025 Men’s Cross Country Championship
Individual Award Winners
Runner of the Year
Edward Carney, UNC Pembroke
Freshman of the Year
Edward Carney, UNC Pembroke
Coach of the Year
Peter Ormbsy, UNC Pembroke
Elite 26
Kyle Elliott, Francis Marion
2025 Women’s Cross Country Championship
Individual Award Winners
Runner of the Year
Megan Knapp, Lees-McRae
Freshman of the Year
Mandi Pollard, North Greenville
Coach of the Year
Cameron Stober, North Greenville
Elite 26
Michaela Lanier, North Greenville
2025 Men’s Cross Country Championship
Final Team Results
- UNC Pembroke
- Young Harris
- Southern Wesleyan
- Converse
- Lees-McRae
- North Greenville
- Belmont Abbey
- Mount Olive
- Barton
- Emmanuel
- Erskine
- King
- Ferrum
- Francis Marion
- Chowan
2025 Women’s Cross Country Championship
Final Team Results
- North Greenville
- Converse
- Lees-McRae
- Mount Olive
- King
- Southern Wesleyan
- Belmont Abbey
- UNC Pembroke
- Young Harris
- Ferrum
- Emmanuel
- Erskine
- Barton
- Francis Marion
2025 Men’s Cross Country Championship
All-Conference
First Team
Edward Carney, UNC Pembroke
Josh Brett, Lees-McRae
Wyatt Whipp, Young Harris
Kelvin Kibet, UNC Pembroke
Grayson Gillespie, Southern Wesleyan
Antony Kigen, UNC Pembroke
Aidan Vrazel, Young Harris
Second Team
Grady Clark, Southern Wesleyan
Drew Jones, Southern Wesleyan
Austin Dezwart, Young Harris
Isaac Reyna, Lees-McRae
John Hetzel, Belmont Abbey
Noah Mason, Young Harris
Alex Porter, Converse
Third Team
Ryan Jimenez, UNC Pembroke
Conrad Robertson, UNC Pembroke
Ander Vera Moleres, Converse
Alexander Potter, Young Harris
Michael Bullock, Belmont Abbey
Kaden Reeder, Southern Wesleyan
Matthew Honeycutt, Young Harris
2025 Women’s Cross Country Championship
All-Conference
First Team
Megan Knapp, Lees-McRae
Hailey Morgan, Mount Olive
Mandi Pollard, North Greenville
Campbell Dille, Lees-McRae
Malea Bennewitz, UNC Pembroke
Merritt Smith, Southern Wesleyan
Ellie Timmons, North Greenville
Second Team
Riley Shope, North Greenville
Elizabeth Young, Belmont Abbey
Evie De Roos, Converse
Ermay Vazquez, King
Sofia Skidmore, UNC Pembroke
Alexandria White, Mount Olive
Sara Aguiar Torre, Converse
Third Team
Cecily Anderton, North Greenville
Addison Martin, North Greenville
Paisley Stepp, Converse
Emily Ward, King
Lexie LeDuc, King
Paris Alsup, North Greenville
Elise Foster, Southern Wesleyan