Women's Cross Country Prepares for Region Championships
11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM
Nov. 13, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama women's cross country team is set to host the NCAA South Region Championships for the first time since 2004. The races will be held at Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Saturday, Nov. 14. The women's 6,000 meter race is slated for an 11:15 a.m. start.
The women return to the region meet after turning in their best team finish since 2000 last year - eighth. For the second consecutive year, they enter the region meet coming off their best finish at the SEC Championships (fifth) since 2000.
AWARDS: The top 25 individual in each race will earn All-South Region honors. The top two teams will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships and the next four individual finishers not on those teams will advance as well. A team must finish in the top four to have a chance at a wild card berth to the championship meet.
RESULTS: Results will be posted prior to the awards ceremonies between the clubhouse and the PA tent. They will also be available at RollTide.com and CFPITiming.com after the meet.
SQUADS WITH AN EARLY LOOK: Teams that competed at the Crimson Classic on Sept. 18 were able to get an idea of how the region course would be run. Women's teams other than Alabama included Auburn, Belmont, Chattanooga, Georgia Tech, Samford, Tennessee and Troy.
NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS: The USTFCCCA released the Week 6 Coaches' Poll last week and the SEC is represented by six schools - three men's and three women's teams. On the women's side, No. 3 Florida leads the NCAA South Region Championship field as the highest ranked squad. ACC opponent Florida State will give the Gators a race for the title as they come in to the meet with a No. 9 ranking. SEC foe Tennessee is ranked No. 29 in the polls rounding out the ranked teams.
CRIMSON TIDE IN THE RANKINGS: The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Week 6 Rankings were the last released rankings before the region meets. Alabama's women rank fifth in the South Region. The women have been ranked as high as third in the region this season.
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 this year as they put together a team finish of fifth.
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.
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 before leading the squad to a fifth place finish at the SEC Championships this year (highest finish since 2000).
TOP RETURNERS: 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.
