UKXC to Host NCAA Southeast Regional Meet
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The No. 30 University of Kentucky women’s cross country team and the men’s team will continue their postseason, but this time as the host school when they compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional meet at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park on Friday, November 12.
Meet Information
The women’s 6K will begin at 11 a.m. and the men’s 10K will begin at noon.
The meet will have live results by pttiming. There will not be a live stream. Fans will be permitted to attend the meet, and parking for fans is $10 per car.
All weather updates will be released on @KentuckyTrack on Twitter in case of any inclement weather.
Forty women’s teams will be competing and 39 men’s teams, including Kentucky’s teams.
The list of teams competing, box assignments, and other information can be found here on our meet website.
The top two teams in the men’s 10K and women’s 6K at each regional meet will automatically qualify for NCAA Championships on Saturday, November 20 in Tallahassee, Florida. The remaining 13 NCAA Championship spots will be determined on a selection show on Saturday, November 13 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
The top four finishers in the men’s and women’s race that are not members of qualifying teams will qualify to compete in Tallahassee as individuals.
UKXC Top Runners
The women’s team has had a historic 2021 season, having been ranked in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 30 twice. The first time they were ranked was at No. 27 in the beginning of October, which was the first time the Kentucky women were ranked in the top 30 in the poll’s modern history. In the most recent poll, the Wildcats were ranked No. 30.
Kentucky will feature six men and seven women in the men’s 10K race and women’s 6K race.
Men:
Dylan Allen
Jake Allen
Matt Duvall
Ethan Kern
Harper Moore
Aaron Withrow
Women:
Perri Bockrath
Rachel Boice
Sophie Carrier
Jenna Gearing
Tori Herman
Kaylie Kenne
Kaitlyn Lacy
The Cats have been led by Tori Herman all season, who recently placed fifth at SEC Championships, earning her a spot on the All-SEC First Team. Herman has finished in the top 25 of every race she has competed in, accumulating a race win at the Commodore Classic (17:02.3), a 21st-place finish (16:43.4) at Notre Dame and a 22nd-place finish (20:16.1) at Florida State University Pre-Nationals 6K.
Herman has improved her 5K and 6K times every time she has raced this season, with her fastest 6K coming at SEC Championships (20:13.2).
On the men’s side, Ethan Kern has led UK in every race in which he has competed this season. Most recently, Kern placed 16th (24:02.2) at SEC Championships in the 8K. In South Bend, Kern finished 46th (24:28.1) in the men’s five mile and when UKXC traveled to Mizzou earlier this season, he won the Missouri Opener 6K with a course record of 17:36.9. At pre-nationals, Kern finished in 80th-place in the 8K (24:06.2).
Both Herman and Kern were members of the 2020 SEC Cross Country All-Freshman team after impressive runs at last year’s SEC Championships. Alongside them on the team were Duvall and Moore.
Closely behind Kern at SECs was Aaron Withrow in 34th place (24:42.3), who has steadily improved his times and placing throughout the season.
Perri Bockrath and Jenna Gearing have also had exemplary seasons, consistently finishing second and third for the Cats in almost every meet. At SECs, Bockrath finished 13th (20:40.2), earning Second-Team All-SEC honors, with Gearing immediately following in 15th place (20:41.7). Both Bockrath and Gearing ran their fastest 6K times of the season at SECs.
Matt Duvall has also had a solid season for the men, frequently finishing second among the Kentucky men. He placed 47th (24:29.7) at Notre Dame, third (17:47.2) at Missouri and 84th (24:09.1) at pre-nationals. At SECs, Duvall finished in 41st place (24:50.3).
If UKXC meet the qualifying standards for NCAA Championships, they will next travel to Tallahassee, Florida for the championship meet on Saturday, November 20.
Follow Kentucky Track and Field and Cross Country on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and at UKathletics.com.
