Sept. 20, 2006

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Starting off quick with a 2-0 record this season, the South Carolina women’s cross country team will face stiffer competition this week at the Great American Cross Country Festival when it races in the Nike Race of Champions in Birmingham, Ala.

The 15-team race includes two top 25 teams in BYU (9) and Florida State (19). UAB is also knocking on the door of the top 25 at No. 43. Other teams running include two USC rivals, both Tigers, in Clemson and Auburn.

USC’s goal is to finish in the top five and continue its fine team finishes. USC has been battling the sickness bug the last couple weeks and while it appears it is winding down, bronchitis has hit a number of runners including Rebecca Chain (No. 2), Kelsey Bristol (No. 6-7) and Laura Regensburg (No. 10). Top runner Casey Gale has also been battling with an injury – severe chin splints.

“Bronchitis has been going around the last couple of weeks on the team, but hopefully we are getting to the end of it,” said Rosenthal. “We have a lot of depth on the team this year. With the illness, I expect the rest of the runners to step up and run in their place.

“There’s only 70 seconds between the No. 1 runner and the No. 10 runner so everyone is really close and that’s good for us,” continued Rosenthal.

The course is brand new and features a very hilly middle with lots of twists and turns. “I don’t expect the times to be really fast on this difficult course,” said Rosenthal.

USC will return to the state of Alabama when it runs at the Auburn Invitational next weekend in Auburn, Ala.