Tennessee runner is XU Gold Nuggets' first signee for 2012

BRIANA SIMMS

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Briana Simms of Hendersonville, Tenn., and Station Camp High School has signed a women's cross country scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.

Simms is XU's first runner signed for 2012.

photo from the signing ceremony (via Facebook)

"Xavier had what I wanted, academically and athletically," said Simms, who has a 3.87 grade-point average and will major in biochemistry. "When I visited, it felt like a family there. I knew that Xavier was where I needed to be."

Simms competed four consecutive years in the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association state meet and placed among the top 32 three times. She was 20th in Class A-AA as a freshman in 2008, 28th in Class AAA in 2010 and 32nd in AAA this past season to help the Bison finish third in the team standings. Four times in 2011 she ran 5,000 meters in less than 19 minutes, 45 seconds, with a personal best of 19:22.86 — the second fastest time in school history — in the Jesse Owens Classic at Oakville, Ala., on Oct. 1.

Simms was All-Sumner County and All-Mid-State four times each.

In outdoor track Simms was the co-outstanding runner in the Sumner County Championships in 2010 and the outstanding runner in 2011. She won the 800- and 1,600-meter runs both years at that meet. Her best outdoor times include 5:33.59 in the 1,600 and 12:02 in the 3,200.

Hendersonville is a suburb northeast of Nashville.

Xavier's Gold Nuggets won the past six Gulf Coast Athletic Conference team championships and qualified for three of the past four NAIA National Championships.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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