Cross Country Set for First-Ever NCAA South Regionals

Men's 10,000m Course Map

Women's 6,000m Course Map

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The University of North Florida men's and women's cross country team will run in its first-ever NCAA Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"We're excited about competing this weekend,” said head coach Mark VanAlstyne. “It's definitely the highest quality competition our young teams have ever been exposed to, but I have great confidence in their ability to shut out all of the hype and perform. This meet is a necessary step in the evolution of our program at the DI level. We have to develop the mindset of expecting to be there and expecting to compete for a spot at nationals."

The men 10,000-meter race is at 11 a.m. (EST) with the women's 6,000-meter race to follow at 12:15 p.m. (EST), at the Harry Pritchett Running Park. The weather for Saturday in Tuscaloosa calls for near perfect running conditions, as partly cloudy skies will go along with a high in the low 70's.

The meet is one of nine regional races going on throughout the country, and features 32 women's teams as well as 32 men's teams, including five A-Sun teams in both the men's and women's race (click here for full list of teams). Other teams participating in the meet litter the latest USTFCCCA National Rankings. The men's side boasts No. 6 Alabama, No. 22 Arkansas and No. 25 Auburn. On the women's side, No. 3 Florida, No. 9 Florida State, No. 28 Arkansas and No. 29 Tennessee crack the latest top-30 rankings.

Both the men and the women finished up the 2009 regular-season fourth in the Atlantic Sun with third place finishes in the conference championships. The men scored their best finish in the A-Sun Championships while six out of the seven women who competed at the A-Sun Championships in DeLand, Fla recorded their best times of the season.

Junior William Pearce earned the program's first ever men's Second Team All-Conference Team selection with his tenth place finish in 26:36. Freshman Shelby Kittrell was also a part of history being named as the A-Sun Freshman Woman of the Year.

Freshmen Meggie Emons, Melanie Novack and Kittrell were recognized as A-Sun All-Freshman for their performances, helping UNF to 84 total points. Emons (18:40), Novack (18:54) and Kittrell (18:02) placed 18th, 22nd and fourth out of the 85 runners.

The men enter the weekend in the top 15, behind Kennesaw State (11th) and East Tennessee State (12th) in the south region. Jacksonville (8th) and Kennesaw State (10th) sit in front of the women who are ranked 11th according to U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, in the south region.

Listed below are the runners who will be competing on Saturday. Alternates will only run in case of injury.

Women

Hillary Adams

Brooke Baumann

Kayla Conrad – Alternate

Erin Heasley

Mel Novak

Men