SCAC Athletics

DEPAUW'S WELLMAN; TRINITY'S PILLOW HEAD SOUTHERN COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE'S 15TH ANNIVERSARY MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD

SUWANEE, Ga. - DePauw University's Graham Wellman and Trinity University's Thomas Pillow head an impressive list of past standouts named to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference's 15th Anniversary men's cross country team.

Wellman, a three-time SCAC Runner-of-the-Year who holds the all-time SCAC meet record (25:49 in 2003), claimed three consecutive titles from 2002 to 2004, led DePauw to the SCAC team championship all three of those seasons and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships in 2003 and 2004. A four-time All-SCAC member, Wellman finished sixth as a freshman in 2001 - the year that DePauw had six runners finish in the top seven and produce the lowest team score in SCAC championships history (16). DePauw placed four athletes on the All-Decade team. Simon Flory, Eric Fruth and Torrey Teats join Wellman on the squad. Flory was a three-time All-SCAC team member after finishing in three consecutive SCAC championships (2001-2003). Fruth, another three-time All-SCAC performer, was the SCAC Runner-of-the-Year in 2000 and 2001. Teats earned All-SCAC honors all four seasons with DePauw and never finished lower than seventh at the conference championships, including consecutive third-place finishes in 2001 and 2002. Trinity University placed two runners on the team, including Thomas Pillow, who along with DePauw's Wellman, is the other three-time SCAC Men's Runner-of-the-Year. Pillow claimed individual titles in 1996, 1997 and 1999 and was All-SCAC all four years for the Tigers. Pillow was the only unanimous selection to the team. David Sexton is the other Trinity runner selected to the team. Sexton was the Runner-of-the-Year in 1994 and earned All-SCAC honors all four years. Rhodes College had two runners make the team, both of whom earned All-SCAC honors all four years. Brian McCarthy finished in the top five each of his four years for the Lynx - including a personal-best second in 2000. Mike Wottle was just as consistent for Rhodes, placing in the top six each year from 1995-1998 culminating with a second-place finish his senior season. Two runners from Sewanee-University of the South were voted to the team - both of whom earned Runner-of-the-Year honors. Matt Kenney won the individual race in 1992 and Ian Cross took medalist honors in 1995. Kenney book-ended his 1992 win with a second place finish in 1991 and a third in 1993, while Cross was also a three-time All-SCAC performer. Centre College also placed two runners on the squad, and like the Sewanee duo, both are former Runners-of-the-Year. The winner of the inaugural SCAC cross country championship (1991), Yancy Moore was a two-time All-SCAC performer. Leigh Vernon, the 1993 individual champion, also earned All-SCAC honors twice for the Colonels.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference will be announcing 15th Anniversary teams in all 18 sports during the 2005-06 academic year. The SCAC was formed in 1991 after a reorganization of its predecessor, the College Athletic Conference (CAC). The CAC dates to 1962 with four charter members: Centre College, Southwestern @ Memphis (now Rhodes College), Sewanee-The University of the South, and Washington & Lee (Va.) University. Washington (Mo.) University joined the CAC later that same year.

The SCAC was formed to provide an association through which the member institutions may encourage organized competition in intercollegiate sports among teams representative of their respective student bodies. Members of this conference share a commitment to priority of the overall quality of academic standards and quality educational experiences.

The SCAC's 15th Anniversary teams were selected in each sport through balloting by present coaches and administrators. Athletes who participated in conference competition between the fall of 1991 through the spring of 2005 and had been named to at least two All-SCAC teams were eligible for selection.