Troy University Athletics
Troy to Host 2013 SBC Cross Country Championships
11/1/2013 1:48:00 PM | Cross Country
TROY, Ala. – Troy University will play host to the 2013 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 2, at Trojan Oaks, behind Trojan Arena. The women's 5k race will begin at 10 a.m., while the men's 8k will get underway at 11 a.m.
"This is the meet we've been working for," said cross country coach Jeff Jenkins. "All of our summer training and 12 weeks of cross country have all led to this meet. These athletes have put in well over 1000 miles so far this year and countless practice hours so that they can run fast for somewhere between 16 to 30 minutes."
The race is poised to be extremely competitive, with several top-ranked teams in the mix. On the men's side, UT Arlington enters the race as the third-ranked team in the South Central Region, while UALR is ranked 13th in the South Central Region.
For the women, four teams are ranked by USTFCCCA. In the South Region, Arkansas State is ranked 10th, while the Panthers of Georgia State, the defending SBC cross country champions, are ranked 14th. In the South Central Region, UT Arlington is ranked 14th and Texas State is ranked 15th.
"We are very excited to compete in Trojan Territory for the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships," said director of track and field/cross country Jill Lancaster. "This will be the first time we have hosted the championships and we look forward to some great performances across the board. Being able to compete at home adds an extra amount of energy to the meet and this team is looking forward to showing off how hard they've worked all year long."
Following the events, the Sun Belt will award the all-conference accolades to the top performers, as well as the Coach of the Year award.
"I'm really proud of the whole group this year for the level of commitment that they've displayed and I'm excited to see it pay off," Jenkins said. "We want Sun Belt cross country teams to have Troy University on their radar and Saturday needs to be our time to put ourselves there. The University's physical plant and event management has worked tirelessly to ensure that this meet is of championship caliber and I couldn't be more happy about being at home for the most important meet of the season."
"Coach Jenkins has the athletes ready to compete and move this program forward. It will be a very exciting weekend," Lancaster said. "This is a top-notch course and we are thankful to have such a qualified coaching staff and university staff to take such care in providing an excellent venue."
Fans can keep up with all the action by following Troy track and field/cross country on Twitter at @TroyTrojanXC_TF .
For more information on all of Troy Athletics, fans can find the Trojans on Twitter and Instagram at @TroyAthletics, or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics.
Doc Anderson Invitational
Thursday, April 09
Marcus Woody - Troy University Sports Hall of Fame
Monday, April 28
Rick Stetson - Troy University Sports Hall of Fame
Monday, April 28
Doc Anderson Invitational
Tuesday, April 08