Cross Country Teams Head to NCAA Southeast Regional
November 08, 2012 | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 8, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville men's and women's cross country teams return to action on Friday, Nov. 9, for the NCAA Southeast Regional meet at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.
The event begins with the women's 6K, which features 41 teams, at noon. The men's 10K race follows at 1:15 p.m. and features 40 schools. Admission to the event is free.
The top two finishing teams at each of the nine regionals automatically qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 17 in Louisville. The remaining 13 teams on each side (men's and women's) will earn at-large bids, which will be selected by the NCAA Division I Track & Field Subcommittee. At-large teams will be considered based on their regional finish as well as their regular-season results.
Schools competing at the race include teams from the states of Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Six teams are nationally ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's top 30 poll: Eastern Kentucky (men rank No. 15), Virginia Tech (men rank No. 17), Virginia (men rank No. 21), Duke (women rank No. 10), William & Mary (women rank No. 19) and NC State (women rank No. 30).
The Cardinals last competed two weeks ago at the BIG EAST Championships in Bronx, N.Y., with the men placing sixth and the women taking 13th.
On the men's side, freshman Ernest Kibet became just the third freshman in program history to earn all-BIG EAST honors by placing fifth in a time of 24:42.02. He secured his third top-10 finish of the season and had the second-fastest freshman time in the field behind the individual champion, Syracuse's Martin Hehir. Fellow Kenyan freshman Edwin Kibichiy also placed in the top 25, taking 20th.
The women's squad was led by Michelle Molodynia, who took 57th (50 in scoring) behind a time of 23:10.82. She improved her finish from last year's meet by more than 20 spots. Molodynia has been the Cardinals' top finisher in all five races this year.
For the latest information on Louisville cross country and track and field, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/uofltrackxc or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uofltrackxc.
