Women's Cross Country Claims Second Straight Crimson Classic Title
9/18/2009 12:00:00 AM
Sept. 18, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - For the second consecutive year, the Alabama women's cross country team claimed the Annual Crimson Classic title. Kelsey Johnson led the squad for the second time this season.
"This time of year its really hard to assess where other programs are at," cross country coach Randy Hasenbank said. "I'm real happy with where we're at because for the most part, the team is healthy. I was really pleased with the way the gals competed today because they showed that they do want to take the program to a new level. It's a place we haven't been recently so I think they are hungry for results."
Johnson paced the Crimson Tide with a third place finish and a time of 17:37.00. Haley Moody (6th) and newcomer Katlyn Will (7th) followed closely with times of 17:48.50 and 17:49.00, respectively. Sara Vaughn (13th) led a trio of Alabama women including twins Sarah Gilmore (14th) and Leigh Gilmore (15th) who clocked times of 18:17.90, 18:22.60 and 18:23.60, respectively, to round out the top six on the team.
Other Alabama finishers were Elsbeth Denton (17th, 18:36.00), Andrea Torske (18th, 18:38.30), Megan Williams (29th, 19:05.20), Lindsey McKee (53rd, 19:53.40), Rue Chitwood (81st, 21:03.40) and Elise Goubet (88th, 21:54.10).
MacKenzie Howe of Kennesaw State posted the fastest time on the course tonight. Her time of 17:13.40 was enough to best the field of 116.
"As far as the course goes, it was a little more hilly than I expected. We went out there not really knowing the course because of the high school races. [Holly Knight] from Auburn really helped push me out there today."
In the team standings, Alabama took first with 43 points with the next closest being Auburn with 75 points. Tennessee (88), Georgia Tech (115) and Samford (137) rounded out the top five teams.
"The girls ran fantastic today," head track coach Sandy Fowler said. "This is our biggest win here in probably 10 years but I think the biggest thing is the way the team pulled together. If we start to get the team to run that tight, we're going to score really well. We beat some good teams in Tennessee and Auburn and this is just a stepping stone for us as we approach the SEC and Region Championships."
Alabama will hit the road next weekend as they preview the SEC Championship course at the Pre-SEC Invitational being held in Oxford, Miss on Sept. 26.
