Alabama
Southern Showcase
New Cross Country Season Begins at Southern Showcase
9/12/2024 12:16:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
The Crimson Tide returns to action Friday morning in Huntsville, Ala.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 9/No. 12 Alabama men's and women's cross country squads are set to open the 2024 regular season Friday in Huntsville, Ala., at the Southern Showcase. Located at John Hunt Cross Country Running Park, the men's 8k race will start at 9 a.m. CT, with the women's 5k race beginning at 10 a.m.
Friday's meet marks the Crimson Tide's first of two in-state contests throughout the 2024 campaign. Later in the season, UA will also host its Crimson Classic meet on Friday, Oct. 18.
Last month, the UA men's program found itself predicted as the preseason favorite in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings for just the third time since 2010 and was also picked to finish second at the Southeastern Conference Championships, as voted on by the league's head coaches. On the women's side, Alabama was predicted to finish second at the conference meet and third in the South Region.
The Southern Showcase
- Follow live: Live stats link is available at RollTide.com
- Date: Friday, Sept. 13
- Time (CT): Men 8k – 9 a.m. | Women 5k – 10 a.m.
- Location: Huntsville, Ala.
- Venue: John Hunt Cross Country Running Park
The Field
- Among the Southeastern Conference, the Crimson Tide will be joined by:
- Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State (women), No. 10(w) Tennessee and Vanderbilt
- Also joining Alabama and host school Jacksonville State is:
- Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Alabama-Huntsville, Anderson, Auburn Montgomery, Austin Peay, Belmont, Blue Mountain, Bryan, Calhoun CC, Chattanooga, Covenant, Cumberland, Daytona State College, Emmanuel, Faulkner, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Southern, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State (women), Lee, Marion Military Institute, Memphis, Mercer, Meridian CC, Middle Tennessee State, Miles, Missouri-St. Louis, Montevallo, Morehead State, North Alabama, Northeast Alabama CC, Northwest Shoals CC, Pasco-Hernando State College, Pellissippi State CC, Samford, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Union State CC, Spring Hill, Talladega, Tallahassee CC (women), Troy, UAB (women), ULM, West Georgia, Western Kentucky, William Carey
The Rankings
- Both the Crimson Tide men and women come into the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the SEC Cross Country Coaches Preseason Poll
- The UA women are third in the South Region preseason rankings and 12th nationally, according to the USTFCCCA
- The men are first in the South Region and ninth nationally per the USTFCCCA preseason rankings
The Rosters | 2024 Alabama Cross Country
- The women's team features 31 runners, including eight newcomers, while the men's roster tallies 30, with six newcomers
- The women are led by Doris Lemngole, who was voted as the 2023 SEC Cross Country Freshman of the Year before finishing her first collegiate season as the national runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships
- The women's roster also includes 2023 All-South Region honoree Joy Gill who earned a 52nd-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships, as well as recent 2024 NCAA East Region qualifier and Second Team All-SEC Track & Field honoree Brenda Tuwei who will be making her cross country season debut
- The Crimson Tide men are led by Victor Kiprop, who was voted as the 2023 SEC Runner of the Year after defending his individual SEC title before being named the USTFCCCA South Region Men's Athlete of the Year
- The men's roster also includes the 2023 NCAA South Region champion and 2023 individual NCAA Cross Championships qualifier Hillary Cheruiyot, as well as recent 2024 SEC Outdoor Steeplechase silver medalist and 2024 NCAA East Region qualifier Carson Burian, who will be entering his junior season for cross country
- The Alabama women finished the 2023 season in seventh place at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, the Tide's second consecutive top-10 finish and the fourth straight year with a top-15 placement
– UA –
Players Mentioned
