After Union’s return to NCAA Division II was complete, and the two-year membership process for the Gulf South Conference was over, the fall 2014 season marked the first opportunity for Union teams to claim GSC postseason awards and championships. This 2024 women’s cross country team wasted no time.
Of the eight races competed in that season, this team claimed four first place finishes, one second place, and one third place. Among the first places finishes was the school’s first ever GSC Championship in any sport. Union went on to place third in the NCAA D2 South Region, which earned the team a spot in the NCAA D2 Cross Country National Championship.
This team still holds two of the program’s top-10 fastest times 5K in program history, and one of the top-10 6K times.
Individually, this team racked up the awards. BethAnne Davis earned the NCAA’s Elite 89 Award, given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at the national championship. She is still the only Union student-athlete to earn this honor. Janey Berends, Abby Berends, Audrey Hazlehurst, Davis, and Lindsey Jakeman all earned NCAA D2 All-South Region honors. Hazelhurst was named first team All-GSC, while Davis, Jakeman, Ja. Berends, and A. Berends were named second team All-GSC. Ja. Berends was named to the GSC All-Freshman team, while Gary Johnson was named GSC Coach of the Year. All nine members of the team were named to the GSC Honor Roll, with Davis and Jakeman earning GSC All-Academic. The team earned USTFCCCA Scholar Team Award and were honored as the team with the highest GPA at the 2014 NCAA D2 Championship Festival (cross country, soccer, volleyball).
Coach Johnson said, “This team encompassed what college athletics should be about. We found nine high character young ladies who were extremely talented students who also happened to run fast. They were committed to the mission of the university and our team, and represented Union and Jesus well.”
The team members include Abby (Berends) Heinz, Julia (Berends) Winter, Janey Berends, BethAnne (Davis) Wilder, Sarah (Fickley) Johnson, Audrey (Hazlehurst) Davis, Lindsey (Jakeman) Draper, Amy (McKelvey) Anderson, Anna (McKelvey) Pope, and head coach Dr. Gary Johnson.
