By Jacob Most
Nov. 8, 2012 –
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of Kentucky cross country teams will join a field of 80 teams at the NCAA Southeast Regional at McAlpine Creek Park on Friday.
The women’s 6,000 meter race, featuring a field of 41 teams, will get started at Noon ET. The men’s 10k will begin at 1:15.
“We are very excited for the regional meet,” men’s cross country coach Jason Dunn said. “We are healthy, rested and ready for our best team race of the season.”
The women’s team enters the meet coming off an impressive performance at the SEC Championships where Cally Macumber was crowned Conference Champion.
“The course looks to be fast,” cross country coach Hakon DeVries said. “It’s something we’re definitely prepared for. There’s a lot of excitement within the women’s team.
“Our final workouts have gone great. Everyone is ready to get out there and represent the University of Kentucky.”
Macumber is in the midst of one of the best individual seasons in program history as she was named SEC Runner of the Year earlier this month.
Macumber, a junior in cross country, has finished inside the top 10 at every meet the Wildcats have competed in this year. She placed in the top two at four-of-five races to go along with a pair of wins in 2012.
Chelsea Oswald finished third at SECs extending her consecutive top-25 streak to five, dating to the first race of 2012. Oswald and Macumber were each First Team All-SEC this season.
Both Allison Peare and Anna Bostrom also placed in the top 30.
The UK men are led by Second Team All-SEC selection Luis Orta, who finished 10th at SECs. The senior has finished inside the top 30 at every meet he has started in 2012, including an individual win to open the season.
also contributed a top 25 performance at the SEC Championships.
The Southeast Region includes all NCAA Division I universities from North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.
The Regional determines a portion of the NCAA Cross Country Championship field set to take place Saturday, Nov. 17, at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.
The top two teams and top four individuals not on an advancing team receive an automatic berth into the national meet. Additional teams and individuals are chosen through an at-large selection process.
The Southeast Region is one of nine NCAA Division I regional sites. The other host sites are Madison, Wis. (Great Lakes); University Park, Pa. (Mid-Atlantic); Springfield, Mo. (Midwest); Fort Collins, Colo. (Mountain); Madison, Conn. (Northeast); Tallahassee, Fla. (South); Fayetteville, Ark. (South Central); and Seattle, Wash. (West).
Admission to the competition is free.
