Cross Country: WVU Heads To NCAA Regionals
November 14, 2008 12:11 PM | General
November 14, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University cross country team will compete in the NCAA Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 15, in Princeton, N.J. The race will begin at 11 a.m.
“We have very high hopes,” comments Coach Sean Cleary. “We’re healthy and if we execute the best race we have had all season, we have a chance to win this meet. This is probably the most difficult region in the country.”
WVU returns to West Windsor Fields, the same course where the team took fourth place on Sept. 13, at the Princeton Invitational to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. Nationally ranked No. 4 Princeton, No. 5 Villanova and No. 11 Georgetown are expected be WVU’s biggest competition as Princeton has edged WVU in the polls every week this season and Villanova defeated the Mountaineers to take the BIG EAST Championship on Oct. 31. Princeton, Villanova and Georgetown are also ranked No. 1, 2 and 4 in the region, respectively. WVU currently ranks sixth in the nation according to the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association. (USTFCCA)
The Mountaineers have been ranked in the regional ranking’s top three all season, taking the No. 2 slot first on Sept. 15, and continued to be ranked second for six consecutive weeks. On Nov. 3, the Mountaineers fell to No. 3 and were ranked in the third spot again this week.
WVU was idle last week after placing second at the BIG EAST Championship in the Bronx, N.Y., on Oct. 31.
The Mountaineers have won one regional title back in 2004 and have made four appearances at nationals in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007. A finish in the top two spots would qualify WVU to nationals for the second consecutive time. Last year, the Mountaineers placed fourth at regionals before earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, where the team earned a ninth place finish.
The top two teams at each regional meet automatically qualify for the championship meet. Thirteen at-large teams will also be selected by the track and field subcommittee next week. The first four individuals not on a qualifying team automatically advance to the finals.
For up-to-the-minute results from all nine regional races tomorrow, please visit the USTFCCA Regional Cross Country Championship central page at http://ustfccca.cstv.com.com
