Conference USA Cross Country Championships Preview

IRVING, Texas- The 2008 Conference USA men’s and women’s cross country championships are set for Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tenn. For the third time in league history, the University of Memphis will play host to the one-day event with free admission to those who would like to join.

The course circles the complex and then heads toward the back part of the stadium. The athletes will enter the backside of the main soccer stadium, and circle the field before finishing in front of the bleachers.

Busses will enter the complex at the entrance on E. Shelby Dr. and fans can use the entrance off of Forest Hill Irene Road and park in the main parking lots of Mike Rose Soccer Stadium.

Jump starting the morning events, will be the women’s 5K championship with a start time of 10 a.m. CT, followed by the men’s 8K race at 11 a.m. Following the completion of both championships, team and individual awards will be distributed.

The 2008 competitions will welcome 17 of the 30 All-C-USA selections from a year ago. Headlining this group is All-American and C-USA women’s individual champion, Alex Becker of Tulsa. Becker took first-place honors in 2007 after dashing through the 5K finish line in 17:34.6. On the men’s side UTEP returns four of the five runners who finished in the top five, losing All-American Stephen Samoei who took first-place honors last year and graduated in May.

The weekly U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association polls have showcased C-USA programs in both the regional and national rankings. Rice women have remained in the national rankings all season, finishing the regular season at No. 20. Joining the Owls in the last three regular season polls is SMU who filled the No. 26 slot after taking third-place honors at the Chile Pepper Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

Tulsa women take a stand at No. 6 in the Midwest Region, while the South Region sees UAB at No. 6 and UCF at No. 11. Rounding out the women’s rankings are Houston and Tulane who hold the No. 8 and No. 11 spots, respectively, in the South Central Region.

On the men’s side, Tulsa secured a No. 16 national rank after taking seventh-place honors at the prestigious NCAA Pre-National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind., the same course that will host nationals on Nov. 24. UTEP stands at No. 4 in the Mountain Region and Rice rounds out the top-10 in the South Central Region.

UTEP men aim to return to championship form Saturday in an attempt to capture a fourth-straight conference title, while Rice women are looking for their first back-to-back championship since joining the league in 2005.

UTEP senior Patrick Mutai won individual titles in 2005 and 2006 and will attempt for a third and final title in his collegiate campaign. Fellow senior teammate Japheth Ng’ojoy has been the Miners’ top finisher this season and push Mutai for individual medalist honors.

UTEP’s attempt for a four-peat won’t be easy with the Golden Hurricane in pursuit of the championship title. Led by senior John Beattie, Tulsa could surprise the audience at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Beattie has led the Golden Hurricane to three top-10 finishes and will look to better his sixth-place finish from a year ago.

A pair of freshman in East Carolina’s Zack Montijo and Houston’s Nate Pineda will be strong contenders for the Freshman of the Year title.

Montijo has paced the Pirates all season and picked up C-USA Athlete of the Week honors after leading the Pirates to a second-place finish at the Adidas Wolfpack Invitational in his first collegiate race. Likewise, Pineda picked up two C-USA Athlete of the Week honors and was the Cougars’ front runner throughout the season. Pineda set a personal-best record of 26:06 in the 8K Disney World Cross Country Classic where he finished 15th overall and led the Cougars to a seventh-place finish among a field of 38 teams.

On the women’s side, Rice has had three front runners this year in seniors Laura Hudson and Lennie Waite and junior Nicole Mericle. The depth of runners will be an asset to the Owls as they seek a second straight title.

Battling against the Owls for the C-USA championship women’s title will be a strong group of teams who have proven their strengths throughout the season. Becker, has led the way for the Golden Hurricane. Her third-place finish at the Notre Dame Invitational helped her team maintain a top-15 finish and earned her C-USA Athlete of the Week honors.

Stephanie Gammon and UAB will also be a strong contender for the title. Gammon took back-to-back C-USA Athlete of the Week honors after setting a personal-best time of 14:41.55 in the 4K Belmont Opener and clocking 18:39.04 in the 5K at the Brooks Memphis Twilight. The Blazers have not placed lower than third at any meet.

Returning for SMU this season was 2007 C-USA Freshman and Newcomer of the Year, Silje Fjortoft. Fjortoft earned a pair of C-USA Athlete of the Week honors after helping the Mustangs to four top-10 finishes. The sophomore also took first-place accolades at the Texas A&M Invitational after running the 5,000 meter-course in 16:33.03. A 2006 All-American honoree and C-USA Cross Country Female Athlete of the Year, Rachel Forish, red-shirted the 2007 season due to an injury, but has laced up her running shoes and returned in 2008. The senior will attempt to help her teammates win SMU’s first team title since joining the league.

Rounding out the women’s top performers is a new face to the collegiate scene. Houston’s Stephanie Aldea jumped right into the collegiate atmosphere earning three C-USA Athlete of the Week honors and leading the Cougars to four first-place finishes. Among Aldea’s successes was a first-place clocking at the 6K LSU Tiger Festival and second-place honors at the Disney World Cross Country Classic.