Women's Cross Country to Compete at SEC Championships
10/30/2009 12:00:00 AM
Oct. 30, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama women's cross country team is set to compete at the SEC Championships hosted by the University of Mississippi on the Ole Miss Cross Country Course in Oxford, Miss. The women's 6,000 meter race is slated for an 11:00 a.m. start.
NATIONALLY RANKED SEC TEAMS: The USTFCCCA released the Week 5 Coaches' Poll this week and the SEC is represented by six schools - three men's and three women's team. On the women's side, No. 5 Florida leads the SEC Championship field as the highest ranked conference squad. Arkansas is ranked No. 29 in the polls while Tennessee is receiving votes in the rankings.
AVERAGE FINISH AT SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Alabama women have appeared at the SEC Cross Country Championship 25 times and claimed the coveted title twice (1986- 87). The Tide has an average finish of 5.32 since appearing in every meet since the women's championship began in 1983.
ALABAMA WOMEN RECENT HISTORY: The Alabama women have been getting consistently better each year since 2006 with their first top 10 finish since 2000 at the South Region Championships coming last season when they placed eighth. The squad also had their best SEC Championship finish since 2000 last year as they put together a team finish of seventh.
FRESHMEN LEAD THE WAY: As the recruiting class gets stronger each year, it shows on the course with the Alabama women. The squad has been led in at least one race by a freshman in each of the last three years - Haley Moody (2007), Sara Vaughn (2008) and Katlyn Will (2009). These respective freshmen have also been named All-SEC and All-South Region in 2007 and 2008 including one (Sara Vaughn) advancing to the NCAA Championships last season.
HOST OF 2009 NCAA SOUTH REGION CHAMPIONSHIPS: The Alabama cross country teams have been named the host of the 2009 NCAA South Region Championships to be held on Nov. 14 at Harry Pritchett Running Park. Alabama last hosted the region meet in 2004 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. when the men and women finished eighth and 15th, respectively. The men's 10,000 meter competition is slated for a 10:00 a.m. start while the women's 6,000 meter race will begin at 11:15 a.m.
Randy Hasenbank ACCOLADES: In Randy Hasenbank's four years at the Capstone, he has guided two Alabama ladies to the NCAA Championships. In addition, he has been rebuilding Alabama into the SEC contender it once was by having three All- SEC and All-South Region performers in the past two years, all of which were freshmen. Last season, he led the Tide to its first top 10 finish at the region meet since 2000.
TOP RETURNERS: On the women's side, the ladies return everybody from their top seven including All-SEC Freshmen and All-South Region performers Sara Vaughn and Kelsey Johnson. Vaughn also qualified for the NCAA Championships. Also returning is 2007 All-SEC and All-South Region selection Haley Moody.
