Oct. 24, 2008

The South Carolina cross country team heads to Starkville, Miss., for the 2008 SEC Cross Country Championships on Mon., Nov. 3, at the Mississippi State University South Farm Course. The women’s 6,000-meter race is set to begin at 10:00 a.m.

The Gamecocks will face top-ranked SEC schools, including nationally ranked Arkansas (13) and Florida (14). South Carolina’s competition also includes seven other teams ranked in their region’s top 15 – Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

“The team is healthy and has the attitude of racing hard,” South Carolina head coach Stan Rosenthal said. “The course is very hilly, which will make times slower. Places are most important at Championship races. Our goal is to have our top five in the top 50.”

South Carolina looks to freshman Beatrice Biwott to lead the way. Biwott has led the Gamecocks in the past four races, claiming two top-five and two top-10 finishes.

The Gamecocks have had a successful 2008 season, finishing first at the Gamecock Invitational and second at the Eye-Opener Invitational and the Asics-Winthrop Invitational.

The Gamecocks will spend the next two weeks preparing for the NCAA Southeast Regional on Sat., Nov. 15, in Winston-Salem, N.C.