Cross Country Set to Travel to the Commodore Classic
9/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Sept. 16, 2011
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The University of Alabama men's and women's cross country teams resume competition this weekend with their second meet of the season at the Commodore Classic on Saturday, Sept. 17, in Nashville, Tenn.
The Crimson Tide will be joined by more than 20 other programs including South Region foes such as Vanderbilt, Chattanooga, Belmont and Lipscomb in a field that will give Alabama a chance to build off their solid debut at the Georgia Invitational.
"This is a good-sized race for us to be competitive in and the numbers are similar to what we'll be competing in the next few weeks until we get to the SEC meet," UA head coach Dan Waters said. "We'll be learning how to run in these types of conditions in packs as we build up to the conference meet."
In the men's season opener on Sept. 3, the squad posted a third-place finish at the Georgia Invitational. Senior Carison Kemei started the season off strong by winning the men's 8-kilometer race with a time of 24:37.34.
Alabama's women's team finished second in the Georgia Invitational to open the 2011 campaign. Katlyn Will was UA's top finisher in the women's 5-kilometer race with an eighth-place time of 18:22.50. In that race the women's team ran a solid tactical team race with all five scorers finishing within 11 seconds of each other, something Waters is hoping to see again at the Commodore Classic.
"We used the first meet as a starting point and fitness test," Waters said. "Now we're trying to move forward from that and develop some consistency in our efforts. This meet is about consistency, the next one will be about building momentum and the next three after that are just seeing how tough you can be."
The event starts at 8:45 a.m. CDT with the men's 8-kilometer race. The women's 5-kilometer race follows at 9:30 a.m. CDT at Percy Warner Park.
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