NEW ORLEANS – The App State men’s and women’s cross country teams collected numerous postseason awards after sweeping the Sun Belt team titles for a second consecutive season on Oct. 31. App State became the second program in SBC history to sweep the men’s and women’s titles in back-to-back years, following Little Rock, which snagged both titles in 2001 and 2002.
For a third year in a row, Brad Herbster was named the Sun Belt Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. Annie Richards earned her second consecutive Sun Belt Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year accolade.
Noah Martinson and Tessa Massa swept the Sun Belt’s Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year honors, and sophomore Henry Stark earned the Elite Award. Thirteen Mountaineers between the men’s and women’s teams collected all-conference accolades for their performances on the course.
“I want to say congratulations to Coach Richards and Coach Herbster for a job well done,” App State director of track & field/cross country Damion McLean said. “It really shows how much hard work they have put into recruiting and mentoring the athletes for this program. It’s great to see the athletes put together such an accomplishment and reach the expectations they have set for themselves. Congratulations to all the accolade recipients from Coach of the Year, Sun Belt Conference Teams and to the Elite Award.”
The last time an App State men’s distance coach earned three consecutive Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year honors was in the program’s SoCon era, as Michael Curcio collected the honor in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
All five of App State’s scorers on the men’s side finished among the top nine, scoring 32 points, 51 points better than Arkansas State’s second-place total of 83. All eight Mountaineers finished among the top 21 to collect all-conference honors.
Stark set the pace for the Mountaineers, finishing fourth with a personal-best 8K time of 24:07.41 to earn first-team All-SBC honors. Martinson followed closely behind, finishing fifth with an 8K personal best of 24.09.71 to also earn first-team All-SBC honors. Freshman Tate Shore placed sixth with a personal best of his own (24:12.82) and collected first-team All-SBC honors alongside Stark and Martinson. Sophomore Thomas Wlazlowski (eighth, 24:16.78), senior Ethan Lipham (ninth, 24:20.70) and sophomore Memphis Rich (12th, 24:38.60) earned second-team All-SBC honors for their performances, while sophomore Aaron Kidd (17th, 24:53.99) and redshirt senior Chase Burrell (18th, 24:54.54) earned third-team honors.
“I’m really proud of the team,” Herbster said. “Having all eight guys earn all-conference honors is a great accomplishment. Earning three spots on the first team, three on the second team and two on the third team shows the depth and consistency of this group. Noah has had a strong season, and seeing him and Tate Shore compete for Freshman of the Year made for an exciting and rewarding day. Henry earning first-team honors along with the Elite Award highlights how well-rounded and dedicated he has become as a student-athlete. For the men’s team to win three straight SBC titles is impressive. It is a special and talented group with strong leaders. The way the guys raced as a unit was exciting. Staying calm and executing the game plan was fun to see.”
Directed by Richards, App State’s women scored 77 points, which was 11 better than the second-place score from Southern Miss.
Freshman Tessa Massa led the Mountaineer women, finishing 11th with a 5K personal best of 17:39.90 to collect Freshman of the Year and second-team All-SBC honors. Collecting second-team all-conference honors alongside Massa was fellow freshman Josie Jackson, who placed 14th with a personal best of 17:47.50. Sophomores Savannah Moore (15th, 17:51.00) and Breanna Budzinski (17th, 17:51.50) and freshman Elizabeth McCart (20th, 17:54.30) collected third-team all-conference nods for their performances.
“Tessa rose up and competed very well,” Richards said. “She ran a significant personal best and put herself in a position early in the race to lead the team score and win Freshman of the Year. Right behind Tessa were two of her freshman teammates, Josie and Elizabeth, and all three of them finished as the top freshmen of the race. I’m looking forward to how these three and the rest of their class will build and grow at App State. Savannah and Breanna earned all-conference honors as well. Savannah ran a smart race and paced herself for a great kick.”
The Mountaineers will compete at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Nov. 14 in Charlottesville, Va. The women’s 6K is slated for 10 a.m. with the men’s 10K to follow at 11 a.m. Parking for the event is ticketed and must be purchased online in advance.
2025 Sun Belt Cross Country Awards
2025 Women’s Coach of the Year: Annie Richards, App State
2025 Women’s Newcomer of the Year: Taylor Myers, James Madison
2025 Women’s Elite Award Winner: Ella Segura, Louisiana
2025 Women’s Runner of the Year: Abigail Parra, Texas State
2025 Women’s Freshman of the Year: Tessa Massa, App State
2025 Women’s First Team All-Conference
Abigail Parra, Texas State
Alexia Macias, Texas State
Charleen Elizondo, South Alabama
Isabelle Russell, Louisiana
Ella Segura, Louisiana
Emme Bates, Southern Miss
Hannah Wyler, Marshall
2025 Women’s Second Team All-Conference
Addison Laughlin, Coastal Carolina
Erika Krueger, Arkansas State
Sidney Walters, James Madison
Tessa Massa, App State
Cadence Lapp, Southern Miss
Nyomi Garcia, Texas State
Josie Jackson, App State
2025 Women’s Third Team All-Conference
Savannah Moore, App State
Chloe Crowell, Louisiana
Bre Budzinski, App State
Mary Beth Bailey, Arkansas State
Taylor Myers, James Madison
Elizabeth McCart, App State
Lexi Cooper, Southern Miss
2025 Men’s Coach of the Year: Brad Herbster, App State
2025 Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Kgaogelo Moloisi, ULM
2025 Men’s Elite Award Winner: Henry Stark, App State
2025 Men’s Runner of the Year: Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, Arkansas State
2025 Men’s Freshman of the Year: Noah Martinson, App State
2025 Men’s First Team All-Conference
Carlo Martinez-Jaramillo, Arkansas State
Kgaogelo Moloisi, ULM
Henry Lyon, Louisiana
Henry Stark, App State
Noah Martinson, App State
Tate Shore, App State
Henok Hagos, Texas State
2025 Men’s Second Team All-Conference
Thomas Wlazlowski, App State
Ethan Lipham, App State
Xavier Johnson, South Alabama
Justin Lipscomb, Marshall
Memphis Rich, App State
Noah Herrera, Arkansas State
Joe Edwards, Arkansas State
2025 Men’s Third Team All-Conference
Brady Dawkins, Marshall
Anthony Parra, Texas State
Aaron Kidd, App State
Chase Burrell, App State
Joshua Gill, ULM
Matthew Maynard, Louisiana
Juwan Blignaut, ULM
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