Lowndes’ Elam joining Valdosta State cross country

Published 3:18 pm Monday, July 18, 2016

By Staff Reports

Submitted PhotoValdosta State and former Lowndes cross country runner Andrew Elam, front, center, is surrounded by family during his signing ceremony. 

VALDOSTA, Ga. — When Lowndes cross country standout Andrew Elam signed a national letter-of-intent with Valdosta State in May, he became the third runner from Valdosta to join coach Todd Smoot’s team.

In a group that includes former Valwood runner Mary Alice Smoot, Elam brings additional local flare to the Blazers.

While at Lowndes, Elam was initially coached by Jodi Harbin and finally by Martha and Rick Mazurkiewicz. He started running cross country as a freshman, was given the LHS “Most Desire Award” as a sophomore and the “Coach’s Award” as a junior.

Elam competed in the Georgia State Cross Country 5K meet in early November, 2013, finishing 153rd out of 227 runners with a time of 19:11. He also competed in the 2014 State 5K meet, this time finishing 61st of 222 runners with a time of 17:54. The LHS team, with strong performances by several of its runners, was able to improve its finish at the state meet in 2014 from 22nd of 32 teams in 2013 to 15th of 32 teams in 2014. 

Elam’s personal record for a 5K was at the Foot Locker South Regional in Charlotte, N.C., on November 29, 2014, finishing 49th of 266 runners with a time of 16:43. He was in the top 50 runners in Georgia in the 2015 preseason rankings.

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A 2016 Lowndes honor graduate with a 4.1 GPA, Elam is a biology/pre-medicine major at VSU, planning to pursue a career in Orthopedic surgery.