Oct. 29, 2011
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina women’s cross country team is set to compete at the 2011 SEC Championships on Monday, Oct. 31 in Maryville, Tenn.
The meet will be held at Lambert Acres Golf Club. The men are scheduled to run an 8K race at 10 a.m., followed by the women in a 6K race at 11 a.m.
The Gamecocks concluded their regular season schedule two weeks ago at the Indian State Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., where the 2011 NCAA Championships will be held. Carolina competed against a field that included four nationally ranked and 29 regionally ranked squads. It marked the second time this season the Gamecocks have ran against that caliber of field, as they also raced at the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational in September against 18 regionally ranked and eight nationally ranked teams.
South Carolina enters the SEC Championships with two wins on the season as it claimed the Gamecock Invitational and the Winthrop Invitational titles.
BREAKING DOWN THE FIELD
The SEC Championships will feature two ranked women’s teams in No. 11 Arkansas and No. 22 Florida, the defending SEC champion. Regionally ranked SEC squads are Arkansas, Florida, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Mississippi State, Alabama and Mississippi.
INJURY BUG
The Gamecocks could head into Monday’s meet with a majority of their top seven runners out due to injury or illness. Freshman Meredith Mill (illness), senior Nicole Rheinlander (injury), sophomore Liz Lock (injury), sophomore Scola Jepngetich (injury) and senior Beatrice Biwott (injury) are all questionable for the Championships.
THE COURSE
Monday’s meet will be held at Lambert Acres Golf Club in Maryville, Tenn. It will mark the first time the Gamecocks have raced on the course under head coach Stan Rosenthal. Tennessee has hosted 15 meets at Lambert Acres dating back to 1998. For a course map, click here.
SETTING GOALS
The Gamecocks will try to focus on the individuals running tough and finishing in the places they are capable of achieving and letting the team finish play out that way.
NEXT UP
After wrapping things up at the SEC Championships, the Gamecocks will head to the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships for a 6K race in Louisville, Ky. on Nov. 12 at 10 a.m.
