Cross Country Hosts Crimson Classic Friday Afternoon in Tuscaloosa
10/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field, Cross Country
The University of Alabama hosts the annual Crimson Classic at the Harry Pritchett Running Course in Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 17. The meet will serve as the team's Power of Pink event to help generate awareness for the early detection and prevention of the disease. The Tide men will race against 32 teams in an 8-kilometer race while the women face 37 teams on a 5-kilometer course. The collegiate women's race starts at 5 p.m. The men's race will follow the women at 5:30 p.m.
Both Alabama squads have had success this year, winning both the Samford Dual on Aug. 29 and the Asheville Cross Country Carnival on Sept. 20. The Tide had a strong showing at the Paul Short Invitational, amassing three personal-best times for athletes on both the men's and women's squads. The women's 6-kilometer race was highlighted by sophomore Hannah Waggoner's 23rd-place finish in a field of 329 runners. Waggoner shaved 44 seconds from her previous personal best to finish in a time of 20:43. Senior Matt Airola was the top finisher for the men's squad in the 8-kilometer race with a time of 24:45, finishing 45th in a field of 356 runners.
The Field
University Men (33 teams) Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Belmont, Blue Mountain, Clemson, Emmanuel, Georgia Tech., Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech, Loyola - New Orleans, LSU, Meridian Community College, Mississippi State, Mississippi Valley, North Florida, Oxford College, Rice, Sam Houston State, Samford, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, Stephen F. Austin, Stillman, Tennessee, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Trevecca Nazarene, Troy, Tulane, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas-San Antonio, West Alabama.
University Women (38 teams) Alabama, Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Auburn, Belmont, Blue Mountain, Brenau, Clemson, Emmanuel, Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Loyola-New Orleans, LSU, Meridian Community College, Mississippi State, Mississippi Valley, North Florida, Oxford College, Sam Houston State, Samford, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stephen F. Austin, Stillman, Tennessee, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Trevecca Nazarene, Troy, Tulane, UAB, Louisiana-Monroe, Texas-San Antonio, West Alabama.
Head Coach Dan Waters' Outlook
"The team is excited about racing at home. The Crimson Classic is always a great meet for us. We have our families, friends and teammates here to cheer for us, which is a really great atmosphere for racing. We have a large field of very good teams, several from the SEC and several from around the region. It should be a good competition for everyone heading into the championship portion of our schedule."
Last Year
The women's team won the 2013 Crimson Classic that featured 27 teams. It was the third consecutive year the Tide women captured the team title. The squad was paced by then-sophomore Katelyn Greenleaf, who ran a 5-kilometer 17:22.22 and placed second. On the men's side, Alabama placed seventh.
In the Rankings
The Alabama women's team is ranked fifth and the men are ranked sixth in the latest USTFCCCA South Region rankings (Oct. 6). The next regional rankings will be released on Monday, Oct. 20.
Up Next
The Tide will host the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships on Friday, Oct. 31, at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa. The championship will feature a 6-kilometer women's race and an 8-kilometer men's race. Race action begins at 9:00 a.m. for the women and the gun sounds for the men at 10 a.m.
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 @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
