Alabama Cross Country Prepares for NCAA South Region Championships
11/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Nov. 12, 2015
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams are set to host and compete at the 2015 NCAA South Region Championships on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa. The women will run a 6-kilometer race beginning at 9 a.m. CT, and the men will run a 10-kilometer race beginning at 10 a.m. CT. A total of 27 men's and 36 women's teams are slated to compete in this year's South Region Championships. The top two teams in each race will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, while the remaining teams wait for the announcement of the at-large selections made by the NCAA Division I Cross Country Subcommittee. Additionally, a total of 38 individuals not on an advancing team will also move on to the national meet for each gender, with 36 of those automatically qualifying by being one of the top four finishers in the region not on an advancing team, while two others will be at-large selections.
Men's Teams: Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Miami, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, North Florida, Samford, South Alabama, South Florida, Tennessee, Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt.
Women's Teams: Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Miami, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, North Florida, Samford, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin, UAB, UCF and Vanderbilt.
Alabama has a history of strong performances at the NCAA South Region Championships. The men's program has won a total of eight regional titles, including four straight from 2007-10; the women have three regional titles to their credit, with two coming under AIAW competition. Individually, David Kimani claimed the region's top spot three years in a row (2000-02). He is the only male runner in school history to bring home the regional crown. Cindy Strum (1978-79) and Sue Jackson (1980) own regional titles on the women's side. At last year's South Region Championships in Tallahassee, Fla., the men's squad ran to a 15th-place showing while the women took third.
Alabama men's cross country junior Antibahs Kosgei was selected as the 2015 Southeastern Conference Men's Runner of the Year, the conference office announced on Tuesday. The junior runner is only the fourth athlete in school history to be named the SEC Men's Runner of the Year. David Kimani claimed the award in consecutive seasons (2001-02), while Emmanuel Bor earned the award in 2007. Tyson David, the 2008 SEC Men's Runner of the Year, was the last member of the Crimson Tide to be selected for the award.
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams continue to hold the same spots from week five in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings. The women remained in the fourth spot in the South Region, while the men finished off the top 10 in the week six rankings.
The Crimson Tide has entered 21 athletes, 9 men and 12 women, for Friday's meet. On the entry list for the men's squad are seniors Justin Ahalt, Parker Deuel and Eric Sivill; juniors, Robbie Farnham-Rose, Antibahs Kosgei, Evan Prizy, and Conner Thompson; and sophomores Andrew Bull and Garret Bull. The women's team has entered seniors Katelyn Greenleaf, Meropi Panagiotou, and Rebecca Stover; juniors Allison Gregg and Hannah Waggoner; sophomores Caroline Barlow, Emily Edwards, Veronica Lyle, and Alison Ringle; and freshmen Jessica Gray, Rachael Reddy, and Kaitlin York.
"To have the most important meet of the season take place on our home course is a huge advantage for us. I expect to see our athletes run with confidence, along with a level of comfort with the course that the rest of the field will not have. This will be especially crucial in the women's race, where our team is competing for a spot in the NCAA Championships. On the men's side, we're hoping to see Antibahs be a factor for the individual title, and running at home should help him immensely."
On Saturday, Nov. 21, runners who qualify at the NCAA South Region Championships will compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, hosted by The University of Louisville at the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. The women will compete in a 6-kilometer race at 11 a.m. CT and the men will compete in a 10-kilomenter race at Noon C.T.
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: NCAA South Region Championships
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams are set to host and compete at the 2015 NCAA South Region Championships on Friday, Nov. 13 at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa. The women will run a 6-kilometer race beginning at 9 a.m. CT, and the men will run a 10-kilometer race beginning at 10 a.m. CT. A total of 27 men's and 36 women's teams are slated to compete in this year's South Region Championships. The top two teams in each race will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, while the remaining teams wait for the announcement of the at-large selections made by the NCAA Division I Cross Country Subcommittee. Additionally, a total of 38 individuals not on an advancing team will also move on to the national meet for each gender, with 36 of those automatically qualifying by being one of the top four finishers in the region not on an advancing team, while two others will be at-large selections.
2015 NCAA South Regional Field
Men's Teams: Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Miami, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, North Florida, Samford, South Alabama, South Florida, Tennessee, Tennessee Tech and Vanderbilt.
Women's Teams: Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida A&M, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Memphis, Mercer, Miami, Middle Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, North Florida, Samford, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin, UAB, UCF and Vanderbilt.
Alabama at the NCAA South Region Championships
Alabama has a history of strong performances at the NCAA South Region Championships. The men's program has won a total of eight regional titles, including four straight from 2007-10; the women have three regional titles to their credit, with two coming under AIAW competition. Individually, David Kimani claimed the region's top spot three years in a row (2000-02). He is the only male runner in school history to bring home the regional crown. Cindy Strum (1978-79) and Sue Jackson (1980) own regional titles on the women's side. At last year's South Region Championships in Tallahassee, Fla., the men's squad ran to a 15th-place showing while the women took third.
Kosgei Named 2015 SEC Men's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Alabama men's cross country junior Antibahs Kosgei was selected as the 2015 Southeastern Conference Men's Runner of the Year, the conference office announced on Tuesday. The junior runner is only the fourth athlete in school history to be named the SEC Men's Runner of the Year. David Kimani claimed the award in consecutive seasons (2001-02), while Emmanuel Bor earned the award in 2007. Tyson David, the 2008 SEC Men's Runner of the Year, was the last member of the Crimson Tide to be selected for the award.
In the Rankings
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams continue to hold the same spots from week five in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings. The women remained in the fourth spot in the South Region, while the men finished off the top 10 in the week six rankings.
21 Runners Entered to Compete for the Tide
The Crimson Tide has entered 21 athletes, 9 men and 12 women, for Friday's meet. On the entry list for the men's squad are seniors Justin Ahalt, Parker Deuel and Eric Sivill; juniors, Robbie Farnham-Rose, Antibahs Kosgei, Evan Prizy, and Conner Thompson; and sophomores Andrew Bull and Garret Bull. The women's team has entered seniors Katelyn Greenleaf, Meropi Panagiotou, and Rebecca Stover; juniors Allison Gregg and Hannah Waggoner; sophomores Caroline Barlow, Emily Edwards, Veronica Lyle, and Alison Ringle; and freshmen Jessica Gray, Rachael Reddy, and Kaitlin York.
Head Coach Dan Waters' Outlook
"To have the most important meet of the season take place on our home course is a huge advantage for us. I expect to see our athletes run with confidence, along with a level of comfort with the course that the rest of the field will not have. This will be especially crucial in the women's race, where our team is competing for a spot in the NCAA Championships. On the men's side, we're hoping to see Antibahs be a factor for the individual title, and running at home should help him immensely."
Up Next
On Saturday, Nov. 21, runners who qualify at the NCAA South Region Championships will compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, hosted by The University of Louisville at the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. The women will compete in a 6-kilometer race at 11 a.m. CT and the men will compete in a 10-kilomenter race at Noon C.T.
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
