Thursday, July 31, 2008
2008 Cross Country Schedules
I have looked on most of the team websites and from what I have gathered here is where the top teams from the South Region will be competing this fall. NCAA South Regionals are on 11.15.08 and are hosted by the University of Tennessee.
Looking at the schedules posted thus far there could be an abundance of At-large points accumulated from this region (assuming the teams perform well).
On the week of 9.27 we have Tennessee in Virgina at the Interrgionals and Auburn out at Minnesota at the Roy Griak meet
10.3-4 is BIG with Auburn hosting a meet, Alabama at Oregon for the Dellinger Invite, Florida and FSU at Notre Dame and Tennessee at Louisville.
Pre-Nats looks the place all the cool kids (are cross country runners and coaches cool kids?) are going to be with Florida, FSU, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee and I am sure others as well all attending.
Alabama 9.5 UT Chatanooga, 9.20 Home Crimson Classic, 10.4 Dellenger Invite Oregon, 10.18 Pre nats, 11.3 SEC's (Startkville, MS)
Florida 9.20 home, 10.3 Notre Dame, 10.18 Pre Nats, 11.3 SEC's
FSU 10.3 Notre Dame, 10.18 Pre Nats, 11.1 ACC Champs, Chapel Hill,NC
Georgia Not yet posted
Tennessee 9.19 UT Invite, 9.27 Collonial Interregional Williamsburg, VA, 10.4 Louisville 10.18 Pre Nats, 11.3 SEC's
Auburn 9.5 UT Chatanooga, 9.27 Roy Griak U of Minnesota, 10.4 Auburn, 10.18 Pre Nats, 11.3 SEC's
Miss State- Not yet posted
Belmont- Not Yet Posted
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Women's South Region Cross country blog 1
Same as the men with this first blog. A quick recap of how things finished last year and what we are looking forward to in 2008. There are no predictions yet as I am you can help me fill in any missing info on transfers and incoming freshmen that I can't find on the internet or through my vast network of reliable and unreliable sources.
Last year was good year for the women's team in the region and this year looks to be very similar.
Last years top ten teams were as follows 1. Florida State (40) 2. Georgia (75)3. Florida (94) 4. Tennessee (152) 5. UAB (184) 6. Georgia State (210) 7 Georgia Tech (237) 8. Samford (249) 9. Chatanooga (258) 10. Belmont (272) and
Top 10 indivuduals were
1. Kuijken (FSU) 2. Parker(FSU) 3. Blankenship (Samford) 4. England (FSU) 5 Weaver (Belmont) 6. Mademach (Georgia) 7. Picchetti (Georgia) 8. Hannah (Georgia State) 9. Ambrus (UAB) 10. Sundell (Florida)
Out of the top 25 Individuals 13 have graduated including the majority of the top 10 (2, 3, 5, 6, 7. 8. 9. 10)
Florida State returns 4 of there top 7 including defending champ Kuijken
Georgia graduates their top 3 but there next 4 are back with their top returner in last year at 21st
Florida has 5 of their top 7 back but lost their top runner who finished 10th
Tennessee ran 5 girls at the regional meet and returns all 5
UAB graduates their top 3, then returns their 4 through 6 with a top returner in 45th
Georgia State has 4 of their top 6 back but lost there number 1
Georgia Tech graduates 4 of their top 5 including their top 3
Samford takes a big hit with the graduation of their number one but then returns their next 5
Chatanooga returns their 2 through 6.
New for 2008 (fact and fiction?)
Florida State did very well for themselves landing Leslie Van Meirt as a transfer from NAU she was 9th or 10th at the NCAA 5000 outdoors. They then added at least three very talented freshmen in Kacy Gibson (PA), Jennifer Dunn (AL) and Keisha Danso Depah (Canada) I would not be suprised if they have another transfer or two out their as well
Georgia added Makayla(sp) Plank as a transfer from Iona. She ran a couple races indoors but then I heard she was hurt and decided to prepare for this fall. She is a big pick up. Kristy Krueger a freshmen from Texas will also be a nice addition.
Florida adds another Austrailian (their freshmen this past year was pretty solid) so they are hoping the new Aussie can fit in just as well and also add a very good transfer from UNLV and England Charlette Browning. Coach Morgan has a nice team this fall
Tennessee added a few 800 meter girls but I'm not sure if they will run XC or not. I have heard an unconfirmed report that Aurora Scott maybe in Knoxville as well
UAB has a couple of internationals listed in their signing class. I tried to look up results on them but to no avail. They also got a girl from Illinois and a few girls from Alabama as well.
So from what I have seen is the top teams here got stronger and the others add some girls who may help them in a few years but no big hitters right now.
A sleeper out their is Alabama. Not a top 10 team this past fall but with the addition of Betty Rotich this past January and Kelsey Johnson of Texas this fall they look to be good.
Please email me at southregionblogger@gmail.com to pass on any info on transfers and such.
Next week comes the pre season predictions
later
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Alabama returns everyone..and adds a knockout puncher
This is the 2008 NCAA South Region Cross Country blog. I have hijacked this from Tim Goldsack, who is no longer allowed to do it as he would have a very biased opinion as he works for Joe Walker at Alabama (I'm going out on a limb here to say they will be heavily favored to repeat as region champs this year, although I won't officially make that prediction for a few blogs). So he is disqualified from his South Region blogging responsibilities. However I nominate him to take over the Mid-Atlantic region blog.
This first posting is a men's posting (women's next week) and is a run down of how last year ended up, who returns this year and who doesn't. I would love emails at southregionblogger@gmail.com to correct any mistakes or omissions. I know there will be a few! Please don't correct my spelling or grammar as I am from the South and prone to these mistakes.
So here we go, starting with last years top 10 teams
Top Teams 1. Alabama (28) 2.FSU (52)3.Florida(82) 4.Belmont(121) 5. Mississippi State (135) 6. Auburn (152) 7.Georgia (176) 8. Tennessee (178) 9. Georgia Tech (230) 10. Tennessee Chatanooga (291)
and Individuals 1. Kibioywo (Auburn) 2. Bor (alabama) 3. maiyo (Alabama) 4.kirwa (alabama) 5. Gunn (FSU) 6. Kutingala (Alabama) 7. Criscione (Florida) 8.Buckingham (FSU) 9. Tirop (S. Alabama) 10. Gabart (FSU)
Now we go to who returns from last years teams and who doesn't (taking in to consideration graduation only, we will get to rumours of transfers and incoming freshmen in a moment)
****Taking into consideration top 100 finishers at the regional meet
Alabama Returns 2,3,4,6,14 and 65 lost 52
FSU returns 10, 15, 17, 78 and lost 5 and 8
Florida brings back 12 and 35 while losing 16,20,31 and 37
Belmont has 13 27 29 93 and 98 while gone away are 19 and 39
Mississippi State has 25,26 and 40 back in Starkville while 22 and 28 have moved on
Auburn is returning 1 42 50 53 55 and 87 and has 21 leaving
Georgia returns 36 71 75 and graduate 18 32 41 and 62
Tennessee has 24 34 38 44 51 and 70 back
Georgia Tech 57 77 81 and 91 all return while 11 and 30 while not be Yellow Jackets this fall
Tennessee Chattanooga returns 76 and 83 and loses 23 59 and 85
So now this is where we can have some fun. I want your help with this as I am not all knowing and omnipotent so I may here some gossip on who is transferring for whatever reason (love, coaching, the inability to read or write) and I did read Dyestat to see which high school kids signed where) I am missing out on some things for sure. Email me at southregionblogger@gmail.com to give me the goods. I will then pass on the information and claim it as mine!
Alabama added a gem this past January in Tyson David, I'm sure you have come across his name in results. All he did was set the SEC 10,000m record in like 28:20 and then finish third at the NCAA champs in the same event. This cat is good! Not sure if it's true or not but I also heard they may have signed Girma Mesecho (I also heard Arkansas and Georgia)
Florida State signed a good one in Mike Fout, you know the footlocker champ. I know Bob is happy about this because I saw the picture of him giving the kid a bear hug after he won footlocker (the pic with that big ncaa championship ring that is almost as big as his smile!). Now rumour also has it Mark Buckingham may have another year of eligibility but I also heard he has a navicular stress fracture.
Florida now I have heard nothing except a 9:05 2 miler type out of Pennsylvania. Don't know much about him but I am sure he will like the winters better in the south
Belmont well honestly, I know nothing (help me out here ok)
Mississippi State, the news here is not good for them as Ben Blankenship has decided to pack it in and head back to Minnesota. I'm sure they added someone because Dudley works his butt off and always gets a few kids
Auburn has done well for themselves from what I hear. In January they added Jean-Pierre Weerts who ran 13:55 for them, Dyestat says they added Elkanah Kibet who was very good as a JUCO athelte, actually beating Tyson David in the fall and winning the JUCO 10,000. I have heard a rumour about an aussie as well
Georgia better have signed Girma because I don't think they have anyone else
Tennessee added Joe Franklin and Chris Bodary both had very good high school seasons and these guys will develop well under Coach Watts
Georgia Tech are bringing on board a bunch of kids who will become engineers later in life and Tennessee Chattanooga has?
So that is it for this week send me info on transfers and recruits to southregionblogger@gmail.com
later
Not Tim Goldsack
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