Nov. 13, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest will host the first-ever NCAA cross country event at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, N.C., when up to 88 men's and women's teams compete in the 2008 NCAA Southeast Division I Cross Country Regional Championships. This event will feature squads from across Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The women's 6-kilometer race begins at 11:00 a.m., followed by the men's 10-kilometer event at noon. "We are honored to be the host for the NCAA Southeast Region. Wake Forest event management is one of the best, and we are very happy to be home and show off our Wake Forest pride," said head coach Annie Bennett. The women's team is currently No. 1 in the Southeast Region in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll. The Demon Deacons have held the top spot since Oct. 20. The seven-person squad running for Wake Forest includes: Cate Berenato, Marley Burns, Allie Kieffer, Anna Nosenko, Dina Nosenko, Merry Placer and Laura Rapp. "The women are very aware that they are the target this weekend. They're ready for the challenge and plan on giving everything and a little more to reach their goals," added Bennett. Kieffer was selected All-ACC after her 11th-place finish and 21:13.2 time at the ACC Championships at Chapel Hill on Nov. 1. She has been the top performer for the Deacons in all five meets she has raced this season, and earned ACC Performer of the Week honors after capturing the individual title at the Wake Forest Relays on Aug. 29. ACC Rookie of the Year Anna Nosenko placed 16th at the ACC Championships with a time of 21:22.8. She has notched second-place Wake Forest finishes at four meets this season: the North Carolina Invitational, Bill Dellinger Invitational, Penn State Invitational, and the ACC Championships.
The Wake Forest men will have three individual competitors looking to secure berths to the NCAA Championships. "We are excited to run some young guys and give them the experience for the future," Bennett said. In only his sophomore season, Greg Billington has finished first for the Deacons in each of the four meets in which he has participated in 2008. He is coming off a 38th-overall finish and a 25.43.1 time at the ACC Championships. Billington beat out the field of 270 runners in the Lehigh Invitational's White Division to win the individual title on Oct. 3. Along with Billington, Zach Hines and Paul Loeser will compete in the 10K for the Deacons. Hines is the sole Deacon to compete in the past five consecutive meets on a men's team that has been plagued with injuries all season. True freshman Loeser has been a top-three finisher for the Deacons all year and placed second on the team at the ACC meet. The top two teams from each regional championship meet will automatically qualify for the 2008 NCAA Championships on Nov. 24, at Terre Haute, Ind. The championship meet will feature a maximum of 31 (five-seven person) teams and 38 individuals in each the men's and women's event. The remaining 13 at-large teams are selected by the NCAA Division I track and field subcommittee. Thirty-six individuals automatically qualify for the championships races by being one of the top four regional finishers not on an advancing team. Two additional individuals are selected at-large by the committee. For more information please refer to the Southeast Regional Championships Web site at WakeForestSports.com. USTFCCCA SOUTHEAST REGIONAL RANKINGS (as of Nov. 10, 2008) Women Men SCHOOLS SPONSORING DI CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS IN SOUTHEAST REGION Women (45 Teams) Men (43 Teams) -WakeForestSports.com - |
