CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Anderson men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete in the 2013 NCAA DII Southeast Region Championships this Saturday, as Queens is slated to host the event at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.
The women's 6K race will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the men's 10K at approximately 11:30.
Columbus State, ranked fourth in the region on the men's side and fifth on the women's side, will be looking to defend last year's titles in both the men's and women's events. Mount Olive is currently the top-ranked men's squad, while Wingate leads the Southeast Region on the women's side.
The Trojans are coming off a two-week layoff after competing at the South Atlantic Conference Championships in Black Mountain, N.C., and are familiar with McAlpine Creek Park after running at both the Charlotte Invitational and the Queens Challenge during the regular season.
Anderson's women's team finished in the top-10 in every event during the regular season, earning fourth at both the Winthrop Invitational in September and the league championships.
Junior Sydney Hazel paced the Trojans at the SAC Championships, earning Second-Team All-SAC honors for the second consecutive season with her 11th-place finish. Freshman Bari Robinson narrowly missed all-conference and all-freshman accolades with her 15th-place finish, while fellow freshman Olivia Gardner crossed the line in 17th. Senior Hannah Robles claimed 33rd and a pair of newcomers, Grace Gerlock and Amber Worthy, finished 41st and 45th, respectively. Freshman Mia Swierzs placed 58th, while sophomore Devan Fisher earned 65th. Redshirt junior Madison Guest finished 66th.
On the men's side, AU placed in the top-10 in three events and finished 14th at the Queens Challenge during the regular season, with its highest finish at third in the SAC Championships two weeks ago.
The Trojan men were led by senior Parks Edwards in a season-best
time, as he crossed the line in 12th, while earning Second-Team
All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year. Freshman Ben
Boerma finished 20th overall, while freshman Thomas Garrigan earned
the 22nd spot. Another freshman, Ned Kennedy crossed the line in
28th and redshirt junior Westley Wilson captured 31st. Junior
Joshua Visi-Clark finished 41st, with freshmen Jesse Patrick and
Michael Burch rounding out the Trojan contingent in 48th and 64th,
respectively.
