MACON, Ga. -- Spring Hill College men's and women's cross country turned in strong performances Friday at the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, highlighted by a fourth-place individual finish from Evelyn Herrera and top-four team finishes for both squads at the Georgia Premier Cross Country Course.

The women's team claimed third place with 108 points in the 5K race, while the men finished fourth with 118 points in the 8K competition.

Herrera led the women's squad, placing fourth overall with a time of 20:54.3 to earn SIAC All-Conference honors. Kerrigan Klevanosky followed in 18th at 23:35.7, while Alexa Manuel finished 26th in 24:53.8. Jayden Ware crossed in 28th at 25:10.1, and Mariam Cosky rounded out the Badgers' top five in 32nd place with a time of 25:31.2. Cosky turned in a particularly impressive performance, recording a personal-best time despite the challenging course conditions.

Lydia Hamilton finished 41st in 27:24.2, followed by Leia Mayeux in 45th at 27:40.5. Albany State captured the women's team championship with 22 points, followed by Tuskegee with 65.

On the men's side, freshman Charles Blackwell paced Spring Hill with a 12th-place finish, crossing the line in 28:29.2. Blackwell made program history with his performance, becoming the highest-finishing men's freshman in Spring Hill cross country history. He stepped into the lead role after Ian Brown was unable to finish the race due to illness. Blackwell narrowly missed the All-Conference team by two positions.

Larrson Calhoun placed 19th in 29:39.3, followed by Erik Lindmark in 24th at 31:20.1. Teotl Heredia finished 30th with a time of 32:06.5, while Tripp Campbell completed the scoring five in 33rd at 32:45.9. Luke Burlison rounded out the Badgers' finishers in 44th place with a time of 34:17.5.

Tuskegee claimed the men's team championship with 23 points, followed by Morehouse with 51 and Allen with 107. Spring Hill finished fourth with 118 points after entering the meet in contention for a top-three finish.

Both races were contested on a challenging course featuring hilly terrain and uneven footing, with overnight rainfall leaving the surface soft and difficult for runners. Despite the conditions and several athletes battling illness, the Badgers delivered some of their most competitive performances of the season.

With a young roster on both sides, Spring Hill will look to build on its conference championship experience as it prepares for the NCAA Division II South Regional Championships on Nov. 21 at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Ala. The women will compete in a 6K race, while the men will run 10K.