Parrish leads Gators to NCAA berth

Posted Nov 13, 2011 by Bill Ward

Updated Nov 13, 2011 at 06:37 PM

Former Chamberlain High distance runner Mark Parrish, now a sophomore competing for the University of Florida, paced the Gators’ mens cross country team to its first berth in the NCAA championships in five years by placing fifth overall in Saturday’s South Region meet in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Parrish was one of nine Florida runners who earned All-South Region honors after finishing among the top 25 athletes. He covered the 10 kilometer Harry Pritchett Cross Country Course in a lifetime best of 31 minutes, 5 seconds and recorded Florida’s second-highest individual finish at the regional meet in the last seven years. David Forrester of FSU was the men’s individual winner in 30:43.

As a team, UF’s men finished second to Florida State, 40-68. The top two teams from each region earned an automatic bid to the NCAA championship meet, Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Ind.

On the women’s side of the regional, FSU made it a Semioles sweep by scoring 34-54 win over Vanderbilt. UF’s women were third and have to hope for an at-large bid to reach the NCAA meet. Former Durant High star Grace Van De Grift was the Gators’ No. 7 runner i the regional, finishing 43rd in a 6k time of 21:56.