Memphis - With temperatures in the mid-upper 40s, Rhodes College men's cross country placed fifth as they hosted the 2019 NCAA Division III South/Southeast Cross Country Regional at Shelby Farms Park on November 16. 

Rhodes hosted 36 complete teams which included a field of 239 individual runners who completed the 8k race. Emory wom the event with 41 points followed by Berea with 94 points. Both teams earned automatic qualifiers to the 2019 NCAA Championship. Emory's Jack Whetstone won the regional in a time of 24:49.3, a whole 17 seconds ahead of the next finisher.

The Lynx were led by senior Toler Freyaldenhoven's fifth place finish in a time of 25:14.8. The Conway, Ark. native will make his fourth straight appearance at the NCAA Championships and his first as an individual. Last year he became the first All-American in program history after crossing the finish line in 37th place (24:58). 

Freyaldenhoven, Jared Briant (24th) and Ben Hazelwood (30th), all earned 2019 All-Region honors while Mark Ellenberger (55th) and Benjamin Freeman (77th) wrapped up Rhodes' fifth place team score of 189. 

During the race, Ellenberger, Hazelwood and Ben Griffith (81st) all ran personal best times. Griffith's 21-second PR came in his final collegiate race for the senior from Nashville, Tenn. Also competing in the race was Emerson Fulton's 101st place finish.

Freyaldenhoven will travel to Louisville, Ky. for the 2019 NCAA Division III Championship, held at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. Earlier this year he set a personal record time on the course (24:22.7). The men's championship race will begin at 10:45 a.m. ET.