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Sandhills Community College Flyers
M. Cross Country Sat, Sep 02 9:00 AM
M. Cross Country
at Chick-fil-a XC Invitational
Salisbury, NC
Recap Results Photos
M. Cross Country Sat, Sep 23 9:30 AM
M. Cross Country
at Monarch CC Classic
Fayetteville, NC
Recap Results
M. Cross Country Sat, Oct 07 9:30 AM
M. Cross Country
at Hagan Stone CC Classic
Greensboro, NC
Recap
M. Cross Country Sat, Oct 14 10:00 AM
M. Cross Country
at SCC Flyers Fun Rock and Run
Pinehurst, NC
M. Cross Country Fri, Oct 20 6:05 PM
M. Cross Country
at Region X Championship, Spartanburg Methodist College
Milliken Arboretum, Spartanburg, SC
M. Cross Country Sat, Nov 04 10:00 AM
M. Cross Country
at NJCAA Cross Country Championships
Hoyloke, MA, Stanley Park
Recap Results
Posted: Aug 26, 2020

Kyndal Giddens Holds First Workouts as New Sandhills Cross Country Coach

Kyndal Giddens Holds First Workouts as New Sandhills Cross Country Coach

Kyndal Giddens brings a passion for running and impressive credentials as a competitor to her new role as the Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach at Sandhills Community College.

This is the first head coaching assignment for the former Broughton High School and UNC-Pembroke track and cross country standout who qualified for the 2021 Boston Marathon at the Myrtle Beach Marathon last March. She finished in seventh place among the more than 400 women contestants that completed the 26.2 mile race and was first in the 25-29 age group.

In high school, the former Kyndal Boykin competed at the Junior Olympic cross country and track nationals and was a member of Broughton's 3,200 meter relay team that won the 4A state title. A four-year scholarship athlete at UNC-Pembroke, she broke a number of school records.

As a sophomore she was both the college's Female Athlete of the Year and the Peach Belt Conference Athlete of the Year in cross country.

"I've been blessed to have really great coaches," she says, mentioning her high school coach David Christian and college coaches Gary Aycock and Dr. Peter Ormsby. "I love the sport of running. I love competing. I run with my heart."

Currently residing in Aberdeen with her husband Chris, she replaces Tim Nocton who has accepted a teaching position at St. Andrews University in Laurinburg.

Four male student/athletes began the team's first workout at 6:30 am on Monday on a course Giddens mapped out on the campus and surrounding area. She is hoping for a larger turnout in the coming weeks, including female runners for a team with so far no returnees from last season.

The reduced student activity on campus due to COVID 19 has limited recruiting opportunities. The meet schedule that would normally get underway in September has not yet been announced.

"I am more excited than disappointed and anxious for the season to start," she says, regarding the low number of participants so far. "It was prime workout weather and all in all it was a great workout. We still have close to a month to get ready for the first meet so it's not too late to come out."

Cross country was introduced as a sport at Sandhills in 2017 under Coach Jef Moody, another a UNC-Pembroke alum.  Led by Union Pines High School grad Daniel Taylor, the Flyer men made an immediate impact on the NJCAA Division III championship scene.

Taylor won the individual national title in 2018 and was the runner-up in 2017. As a team the Flyers finished second third respectively. The Lady Flyers were also competitive, finishing eighth and ninth at the national meet in those years.

Giddens met Moody during his frequent visits to his alma mater and they became reacquainted when she moved to Aberdeen.

C. Bergmann