Moccasins Punch Their Ticket to NCAA Championship

LAKELAND, Fla. – The 17^th-ranked Florida Southern College men's cross country team punched its ticket to the 2025 NCAA Championships with a second place finish at the 2025 NCAA South Region Championship at Holloway Park in Lakeland, Fla. The trip to the NCAA Championship is the third under head coach Matt Levassiur and second for the program since 2018.
 
Senior Christian Giller led the way for the Moccasins, who placed all seven of their runners inside the top-25 – a first in program history. Giller took fourth overall after crossing the line in 31:37.2 on the 10K course. The time marked the third-fastest in program history at an NCAA Region Championship. Senior Anthony Matthew came across ninth overall while stopping the clock at 32:01.9, ninth-fastest in program history at a regional. Sophomore Eli Zuppa kept the momentum rolling as he claimed 11^th after stopping the clock at 32:13.2. Junior Cole Summers served as the fourth Moccasin in the top-15 as he took 14^th after completing the distance in 32:27.6.
 
The fifth and final scoring spot was a close race between senior Chris Colavita and sophomore Andrew Nyland. Colavita took the edge as he placed 17^th overall in 32:34.0 while Nyland followed behind in 18^th at 32:37.8. Showcasing the strong depth on the FSC squad junior Simon DeVoss joined the rest of the Moccasins on the All-Region squad as he claimed 24^th with a time of 32:48.9.
 
The Moccasins were the only team at the regional that placed all seven runners in the top-25 to earn All-South Region honors.
 
Senior Colten Lee of Palm Beach Atlantic won the overall individual title while Lee took home the team championship. Lee finished with 24 points to best Florida Southern who compiled 53 points. Embry-Riddle rounded out the top-three with 110. UAH placed fourth at 132 points while Palm Beach Atlantic took fifth overall.
 
The Moccasins will now begin preparation for the 2025 NCAA Championship which will take place Saturday, Nov. 22 in Kenosha, Wis.