Cross Country Teams Ready for SEC Championship
10/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Oct. 29, 2015
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the 2015 SEC Championship on Friday, Oct. 30 in College Station, Texas. The men will run an 8-kilometer race beginning at 10 a.m. CT with the women's 6-kilometer race set for an 11 a.m. CT start. A total of 13 men's and 14 women's teams are slated to compete in this year's SEC Championship. The Tide is coming off of solid performances at the Crimson Classic, where the women's team finished second behind Oklahoma State and the men's team placed sixth. Junior Antibahs Kosgei led the Tide men by finishing second with a time of 24:17.47. Katelyn Greenleaf, a senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., led the way for the women's squad, as her time of 16:47.41 was good enough for third in the University Women's 5k race. Greenleaf's time was also the fastest time ever recorded by a University of Alabama runner at the Crimson Classic. Junior Hannah Waggoner (13th, 17:22.70), senior Meropi Panagiotou (15th, 17:31.87), and senior Rebecca Stover (19th, 17:37.51) also placed inside the top 20.
The SEC Network will air a 30-minute highlight show of this year's SEC Championship on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 11:30 a.m. CT. The broadcast talent includes Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Larry Rawson (color analyst).
The Alabama men's and women's cross country teams continue to hold on to spots in the top ten in the South Region despite dropping in the most recent U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings. The women fell from second to fourth while the men slipped one spot from ninth to 10th. Additionally, the women's team is still receiving votes but dropped out of the top 30 in the latest USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll. The Crimson Tide moved down, receiving nine votes, following appearances inside the top 30 in both the third and fourth weeks of the poll.
The Crimson Tide has entered 31 athletes, 14 men and 17 women, for Friday's meet. Competing for the men's squad will be seniors Justin Ahalt, Parker Deuel and Eric Sivill; juniors Payton Ballard, Jeff Edmondson, Robbie Farnham-Rose, Antibahs Kosgei, Evan Prizy, and Conner Thompson; sophomores Andrew Bull, Garret Bull, Connor Ferrentino, and Josh Short; and freshman Chris Buechner. The women's team will feature seniors Katelyn Greenleaf, Meropi Panagiotou, and Rebecca Stover; juniors Allison Gregg and Hannah Waggoner; sophomores Caroline Barlow, Emily Edwards, Jessica Gray, Veronica Lyle, Alison Ringle, and Elizabeth Scott; and freshmen Calli Coggins, Nicole Gardner, Sarah Mohan, Rachael Reddy, Abby Rentschler, and Kaitlin York.
Alabama has won a total of five Southeastern Conference team titles (three men's titles, two women's team titles) and produced 12 SEC individual champions (eight men, four women). The Crimson Tide won men's team titles in 1973, 2008 and 2009 while the women won team crowns in 1986 and 1987. The great David Kimani won SEC men's titles for Alabama in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Other Tide individual men's winners were Robert Peete (1959-60), Steve Bolt (1976), German Beltran (1988) and Emmanuel Bor (2007). For the women, Evelyn Adiru won the individual title in 1985 and 1987 before Carole Trepanier took the title in 1988. Becki Wells (1993) is the most recent SEC champion on the women's side.
"We have approached each practice and each race this season with the mindset of improving and getting prepared for the championship portion of our schedule, which begins with the SEC Championship. Both teams have faced some obstacles this year, but as a coaching staff we feel confident in the work our athletes have put in to this point."
On Friday, Nov. 13th, the Tide will compete at the NCAA South Region Championships, hosted by Alabama at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa. Last year, the Crimson Tide women finished 3rd and the men placed 15th.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaTrack on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
This Week: SEC Cross Country Championship
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete at the 2015 SEC Championship on Friday, Oct. 30 in College Station, Texas. The men will run an 8-kilometer race beginning at 10 a.m. CT with the women's 6-kilometer race set for an 11 a.m. CT start. A total of 13 men's and 14 women's teams are slated to compete in this year's SEC Championship. The Tide is coming off of solid performances at the Crimson Classic, where the women's team finished second behind Oklahoma State and the men's team placed sixth. Junior Antibahs Kosgei led the Tide men by finishing second with a time of 24:17.47. Katelyn Greenleaf, a senior from St. Petersburg, Fla., led the way for the women's squad, as her time of 16:47.41 was good enough for third in the University Women's 5k race. Greenleaf's time was also the fastest time ever recorded by a University of Alabama runner at the Crimson Classic. Junior Hannah Waggoner (13th, 17:22.70), senior Meropi Panagiotou (15th, 17:31.87), and senior Rebecca Stover (19th, 17:37.51) also placed inside the top 20.
SEC Network to Air Highlight Show on Nov. 8
The SEC Network will air a 30-minute highlight show of this year's SEC Championship on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 11:30 a.m. CT. The broadcast talent includes Tyler Denning (play-by-play) and Larry Rawson (color analyst).
In the Rankings
The Alabama men's and women's cross country teams continue to hold on to spots in the top ten in the South Region despite dropping in the most recent U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings. The women fell from second to fourth while the men slipped one spot from ninth to 10th. Additionally, the women's team is still receiving votes but dropped out of the top 30 in the latest USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll. The Crimson Tide moved down, receiving nine votes, following appearances inside the top 30 in both the third and fourth weeks of the poll.
31 Runners Set to Compete for the Tide
The Crimson Tide has entered 31 athletes, 14 men and 17 women, for Friday's meet. Competing for the men's squad will be seniors Justin Ahalt, Parker Deuel and Eric Sivill; juniors Payton Ballard, Jeff Edmondson, Robbie Farnham-Rose, Antibahs Kosgei, Evan Prizy, and Conner Thompson; sophomores Andrew Bull, Garret Bull, Connor Ferrentino, and Josh Short; and freshman Chris Buechner. The women's team will feature seniors Katelyn Greenleaf, Meropi Panagiotou, and Rebecca Stover; juniors Allison Gregg and Hannah Waggoner; sophomores Caroline Barlow, Emily Edwards, Jessica Gray, Veronica Lyle, Alison Ringle, and Elizabeth Scott; and freshmen Calli Coggins, Nicole Gardner, Sarah Mohan, Rachael Reddy, Abby Rentschler, and Kaitlin York.
Alabama's History at the SEC Championship
Alabama has won a total of five Southeastern Conference team titles (three men's titles, two women's team titles) and produced 12 SEC individual champions (eight men, four women). The Crimson Tide won men's team titles in 1973, 2008 and 2009 while the women won team crowns in 1986 and 1987. The great David Kimani won SEC men's titles for Alabama in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Other Tide individual men's winners were Robert Peete (1959-60), Steve Bolt (1976), German Beltran (1988) and Emmanuel Bor (2007). For the women, Evelyn Adiru won the individual title in 1985 and 1987 before Carole Trepanier took the title in 1988. Becki Wells (1993) is the most recent SEC champion on the women's side.
Head Coach Dan Waters' Outlook
"We have approached each practice and each race this season with the mindset of improving and getting prepared for the championship portion of our schedule, which begins with the SEC Championship. Both teams have faced some obstacles this year, but as a coaching staff we feel confident in the work our athletes have put in to this point."
Up Next
On Friday, Nov. 13th, the Tide will compete at the NCAA South Region Championships, hosted by Alabama at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa. Last year, the Crimson Tide women finished 3rd and the men placed 15th.
Following the Tide
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaTrack on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
SEC Cross Country Championships:
Friday, November 01
Harvey Glance Tide and Tigers Dual Meet: Coach Waters
Friday, January 12
SEC Cross Country Championships Recap: Coach Waters
Saturday, October 28
Southern Showcase Recap: Coach Waters
Friday, September 15
