Trojans compete at Sun Belt Conference Championship this weekend

TROY, Ala. - The Troy University men's and women's cross country teams will be in competition on Saturday at the Sun Belt Conference Championships in Bowling Green.

The men's race will include runners from 11 Sun Belt Conference schools, with Middle Tennessee picked by the coaches to be the favorite in the race. Arkansas-Little Rock and Western Kentucky round out the top three schools picked by the coaches in the meet.

Meanwhile, Troy will be led by sophomore Jeremy Moujoodi, who finished sixth in the abbreviated Coach “O” Invitational last weekend. He has finished as high as sixth this season (Coach “O” Invitational), and has recorded a season-best time of 25:47.04 (Auburn). The team has finished as high fourth in the meets this season.

However, Troy University Director of Track and Cross Country, Jill Lancaster, believes that Moujoodi will need his teammates to help push the team over the top in the conference meet.

“Obviously if the weather is not too cold it plays into the distance kids hands,” Lancaster said. “All along, the difference to us has been pack running, which we have really improved on this season. If we can get our groups to stay together then it will help us in the meet.”

That means the Trojans will need runners like Brett Lewis, Paul Boothe and Terrence Dixon to run together and improve on their top 20 performances this season.

Meanwhile, on the women's side, junior Jenean Corcoran will look to improve upon her ninth place finish in the Coach “O” Invitational, and help lead the Trojans to a strong finish in the conference.

This season, she has finished as high as eighth (Great American XC Festival), and run a season-best 18:51.52 (Auburn). But, just like in the men's race, Corcoran will need her teammates to run in a pack to help solidify the Trojans chances of winning the conference title.

One thing that Lancaster points out, and an advantage to the Trojans, is that some of her runners are familiar with the course.

“Some of our upperclassmen have run on this course before,” Lancaster said. “Hopefully, they will be able to provide some guidance to our younger kids on how to run this course.”

The coaches picked Western Kentucky to win this year's meet, followed by Arkansas-Little Rock and Middle Tennessee on the women's side.

“We don't really know what is going to happen,” Lancaster said. “That is why you have the competition.”

The championship will be held on Saturday, October 27 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The men's 5-mile race will begin at 10 a.m. followed by the women's 5K race that will start at 11 a.m. Both races will be held at Kereiakes Park.

Troy University Athletics

Trojans compete at Sun Belt Conference Championship this weekend

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