2024 All-SSC Cross Country Runner and Freshman of the Year Honors Announced
MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference is pleased to announce its 2024 men’s and women’s cross country runner and freshman regular season standouts. Christian Giller of Florida Southern and Jillian Thorning of Nova Southeastern receive Runner of the Year accolades, while Ben Peck from Florida Tech and Hannah Diete from Tampa capture Freshman of the Year nods.
The 2024 SSC Cross Country Championships will be hosted by Nova Southeastern and take place at Holloway Park in Lakeland on Friday, October 25th. Runners who finish Top-14 at the championship will earn all-conference accolades. A formal announcement of All-SSC cross country awards will be released on Tuesday, October 29th.
Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Christian Giller, Florida Southern
Giller, a junior from Brandon, Florida, finished the regular season undefeated against SSC competition. In 8K races, he finished 20th of 490 runners at the Southern Showcase (24:29) and 18th of 336 runners at the UAH Charger Invite. Giller’s 24:19 time at the UAH Charger Invite is the fastest 8,000-meter run by an SSC athlete this season. Additionally, earned second-place finish in the Holloway Park Kick-off 6K (18:24). Giller is the 10th Moccasin to be named Runner of the Year
1, first since 2021.
Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Year: Jillian Thorning, Nova Southeastern
Thorning a sophomore from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, began the season with a sixth-place finish at the Holloway Park Kick-off 4.2k (15:23). In 6,000-meter races, she finished second of 118 runners at the Ave Maria Invitational (22:12) and sixth of 272 runners at the UAH Charger Invite (21:04). Thorning joins Alexandria Palm (2013) as the only Nova Southeastern athletes to earn SSC Runner of the Year in women’s cross country.
Men’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Ben Peck, Florida Tech
Peck is the fourth Florida Tech runner to be named Freshman of the Year
2. In three 8K races this season, the Brandon, United Kingdom native finished second at the Fire Invitational (27:11), 14th at the ERAU Classic (27:06), and 51st at the UAH Charger Invitational. His 24:57 mark at the Charger Invite is a Florida Tech school record.
Women’s Cross Country Freshman of the Year: Hannah Diete, Tampa
Diete opened the season with a 14th place finish at the the Holloway Park Kick-off 4.2k and a 13th place finish at the UNF 5K. The Chicago product rounded out the regular season with a pair of strong 6K performances at the Paul Short Run (22:51) and UAH Chargers Invite (22:16). Diete is the fifth Tampa women’s cross country runner to claim Freshman of the Year honors
3.
1 Past SSC MXC Runner of the Year winners from FSC: Mason Jones (2020-21 & 2021), Ben Martucci (2009-10), Scott Mackley (2008), Eric Walker (2006), Tyrone Bell (2004-05), Lee Stephens (2001), Paul Norb (2000), Gary Crossan (1998-99), Jayson Chagoya (1997)
2 Past SSC MXC Freshman of the Year winners from Florida Tech: Justin McMaster (2011), Ross Russell (2009), Myles Garza (2007)
3 Past SSC WXC Freshman of the Year winners from Tampa: Emma Skinner (2022), Aspen Gordon (2019), Laura Yarrow (2012), Kaia Hampton (2009)