ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The Spring 2021 USA South Men's Cross Country East Division Championship took place on Saturday, February 27, 2021 on the campus of N.C. Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Due to the ramifications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the cancelation of the Division III NCAA Cross Country championship, the USA South split its cross country championships into divisional events.

Methodist captured the USA South Men's East Division championship as the Monarchs compiled 15 points to best second place William Peace and third place N.C. Wesleyan. Individually, Methodist's Drew Topoly won the meet as he finished the 8,000-meter course first in a time of 27:19. The top-seven runners at the meet were named All-Division and can be found below.

The Bishop men battled a variety of injuries with the upper classmen, and ended up being led by a freshman runner in Chris Sielkowski, who finished the day being the 1^st Freshman to become an All–Conference runner at NC Wesleyan. He ended up placing 7th in 30:06. Sophomore Philly Barungi then came next in 10th place in 30:43. Senior Andrew Bowen then finshed 12th in 30:56 while junior Maleik Small followed in 14th place in 31:08. 

Next was junior Terenthen Parker in 17th in 31:52 while fellow junior Connor Hayes was right behind in 18th in 31:56. Freshman Nick Green also placed 23rd in 36:25.

 "I am proud of our young adults, who have dealt with a difficult year as Covid changed all of our plans in the fall," commented head coach Marshall Leonard.  "They continued to train and stay engaged even though their season was postponed until the spring."

"All of our runners put a lot of focus on their classwork in the fall, and as a result, they finished the fall semester with the highest team GPA during my tenure here.  That makes me proud that they are continuing to make the right choices and doing the right things."

Spring 2021 USA South Men's Cross Country East Division Championship Team Results:

FULL INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM RESULTS