MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Winning is a habit, and the Berry men's cross country team has proven this once again by clinching their fourth consecutive Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Championship with a low team score of 36.

This victory marks a triumphant moment for the senior class, who have led the Vikings to victory every year of their collegiate careers. On Saturday morning at the SAA Men's Cross Country Championship in Memphis, Berry solidified their standard in cross country excellence, branding themselves as a conference powerhouse.

Oglethorpe University claimed second place with 45 points, while Centre College fell only four points shy for third place. Rhodes collected a team score of 102 for fourth, and Hendrix and the University of the South claimed fifth and sixth, respectively. Millsaps did not qualify for a team placement.

Berry's Tucker Wright was crowned the second fastest runner in the SAA this morning with a second-place finish. The sophomore was in the running to be named the SAA Runner of the Year as he passed the two kilometer and five-kilometer markers in first place. However, Wright was unable to hold on to the placement as a Stormy Petrel barely clipped him of the title in the last kilometer of the race. This is the Rome native's first year competing in the SAA Championships, and with a 24:50.10 finish, it is safe to say that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the coming years.

Ethan Smith did not appear to be a top five contender at the 5k mark. The junior was sitting comfortably, projected to cross the finish line in sixth place. Unsatisfied, Smith found another gear and passed a Colonel in the final seconds of the race. Not only did the Dawsonville native achieve a top five finish, but he also ran the fastest race of his career with a time of 25:30.00. Wright and Smith were named members of the 2024 All-SAA First Team for their dominating performances.

Eager to get to the finish, Troy Blackwood, Peter Ivester, and T Harris all finished within less than two seconds of one another. Blackwood clocked in at 26:00.71 for ninth place. Ivester set a personal best with a time of 26:01.34 for tenth. In 11th and rounding out the scoring for the Vikings, Harris also achieved a personal best with a time of 26:01.73. Blackwood and Ivester will travel back to Berry as members of the Second Team All-SAA. Harris earned All-SAA Honorable Mention for his top 15 performance.

Berry's Joey Kowalczewski individually placed in 14th for an All-SAA Honorable Mention accolade as well.

While the Vikings try to find more room in their trophy case to display this year's hardware, they will continue training for the NCAA South Region Championship in Clinton, Mississippi set for Nov. 16.