OVC Cross Country Teams Set for NCAA Regionals on Friday

November 8, 2012 |

Ohio Valley Conference schools will compete at three NCAA Cross Country Regionals this today. Teams and school are looking for good performances to advance to the National Championship Meet in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday, Nov. 17.

That is a slight change in dates from previous years when regionals were held on a Saturday with the national championship being run on the Monday prior to Thanksgiving.

The top two teams from each of the nine regionals will qualify for the NCAA Championship. Thirteen (13) other teams will be at-large selections chosen by the NCAA Division I track and field and cross country sub-committee (and announced no later than 12 p.m. on Saturday). In addition, 36 individuals will automatically qualify for the championship by being one of the top four regional finishers not on an advancing team. Two additional individuals are at-large selections by the sub-committee.

The Eastern Kentucky men’s team enters the regionals ranked No. 15 nationally in the USTFCCA poll and No. 1 in the Southeast Region. The Colonels have been ranked as high as No. 13 this season, the highest ranking in school history. EKU is looking to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the second-straight season; last year Eastern Kentucky (making the first appearance in the NCAAs for an OVC team since 1980) finished 26th overall. Junior Soufiane Bouchikhi, the three-time defending OVC Champion, finished 49th at the Championship in 2010 and 47th last season.

Austin Peay, Belmont, Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin will be competing at the South Region Meet hosted by the Florida State. The women’s 6K race will start at 8:30 a.m. ET while the men’s 10K following at 9:15 a.m. The race will be run at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. The Belmont women enter the event ranked 7th in the region.

Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and Murray State will run at McAlpine Park in Charlotte, N.C. The women’s 6K begins at 12:00 p.m. ET with the men’s 10K following at 1:15 p.m. The University of Charlotte is the host for the Southeast Region. The EKU women are ranked 14th in the region entering the event.

Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and SIUE will compete at the Midwest Region Meet in Springfield, Mo. The women’s 6K race begins at 12:00 p.m. CT with the men’s 10K race following at 1:15 p.m. Missouri State University will serve as the host.  The EIU men enter the event ranked 14th in the region

South Region Meet (Austin Peay, Belmont, Jacksonville State, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin)
Host: Florida State University
City: Tallahassee, Fla.
Competition Site: Apalachee Regional Park
Regional Website

Southeast Region Meet (Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State)
Host: University of Charlotte
City: Charlotte, N.C.
Competition Site: McAlpine Park
Regional Website

Midwest Region Meet (Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri, SIUE)
Host: Missouri State University
City: Springfield, Mo.
Competition Site: MSU Cross Country Course
Regional Website

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