MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - What a weekend it was for Berry College Athletics! The Vikings had seven total teams in action who all exemplified what it means to "Be Berry" in their performances.
During the weekend, the athletic programs returned to Mount Berry with its fourth straight Southern Athletic Association Volleyball Championship, an SAA Football Title, multiple cross-country runners qualifying for National Championships, an undefeated weekend in basketball, and an exceptional effort from Equestrian.
It was conference championship weekend for Berry Volleyball who secured their fourth straight Southern Athletic Association Tournament Championship with a 3-1 win over Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. The Vikings also handled Sewanee and Hendrix on Friday and Saturday in the quarterfinals and semifinals to earn the right to play in the championship. Lindsey MacDiarmid, Lura Underwood, and Bella Boston all earned SAA All-Tournament Team Honors for their efforts in the championship win. Berry Volleyball is now set to take on the Whitworth Pirates at the Atlanta Regional hosted by Emory University this Thursday at 11:30 AM ET.
The Berry College Football team embarked on a crucial road trip to Memphis, Tennessee, to take on Rhodes College. The Vikings wasted no time dominating the gridiron and securing a huge 48-14 win to secure a share of the SAA Championship, with Brandon Cades' offensive efforts earning him the final SAA Athlete of the Week honor (his third this season). Berry also owns the tiebreaker between Centre College and Trinity University, which grants them the right to host a home NCAA Tournament game against Maryville this Saturday, November 23, at 12 PM ET against Maryville College.
Men's and Women's Cross Country traveled to Clinton, Mississippi, to compete in the NCAA South Region Championships where they had a fantastic showing. For the women's team Anna Rose and Anna Ayers both qualified for the NCAA National Championships. Rose posted a career best time of 22:16.30 to help the team to a fourth-place finish. Ayers was right behind Rose with a 22:16.66 finish. On the men's side, Tucker Wright and Troy Blackwood both punched their tickets to Indiana. Wright's time of 24:36.5, finishing second place overall. Blackwood ran a personal best of 25:26.6 and will join Wright in Indiana for the NCAA National Championships. To add to Berry's decorated season, Tucker Wright, Troy Blackwood, Brooks Johnson, T Harris, and Ethan Smith all earned a spot on the All-Region Team. For the women, Anna Rose and Anna Ayers were joined by Ariel Ellis and Olivia Lambert as All-Region performers.
Equestrian hosted two NCEA meets at the Gunby Equine Center. Their first meet came against Bridgewater on Saturday, where Willa Rose Akins defeated two opponents and had an outstanding showing for the Vikings. On Sunday against Sewanee, Emily Sudderth was named Most Outstanding Player with a high score of 83.
Women's Basketball is out to their first 3-0 start of the D3 Era. They secured two wins in the CCS/SAA Classic at Sewanee, as they defeated LaGrange and Piedmont this past weekend. Men's Basketball also took care of business on Saturday in Louisiana, defeating Centenary College by a score of 81-70.
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