North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Cross Country Heads To NCAA Regionals
11/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
RALEIGH, N.C. — With their ninth dual conference championship in 16 years now in hand, the NC State men’s and women’s cross country teams move on this weekend to the NCAA Southeast Regional at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.
NC State’s program goals each year are to win the ACC championship, qualify for the NCAA Championships out of regionals, and to finish in the top 10 at nationals. The Wolfpack has the first goal in hand. The second, qualifying for the national meet, is up for grabs this weekend.
The women’s 6k race will start at 11 a.m., with the men’s 8k race set to follow at 12:15 p.m. NC State enters both races as favorites, but not as unchallenged favorites.
The nationally eighth-ranked men’s team will have to contend with No. 25 Virginia, No. 26 Louisville, and unranked but defending regional champion William & Mary. The NC State men blew through the ACC Championships two weeks ago, placing all eight entrants in the meet’s to 19 finishers, with six earning All-ACC honors.
“We know Virginia has a good cross country team, and Louisville is running on their home course,” said Wolfpack head coach Rollie Geiger, who coaches the men’s team. “Being at home is a big advantage. William & Mary won the regional last year. Only two teams go to nationals out of this, and that’s four teams battling for two spots.”
The men enter the NCAA portion of the season running at an extremely high level and with a deep squad. Wesley Smith, Tibor Vegh, John Crews, Stephen Furst and Gavin Coombs placing in the top 10 at the ACC Championships. Bryce Ruiz finished 13th to earn all-conference honors as well, and Chris Kollar and Fredy Torres both finished in the top 19. NC State won the race with a low score of 31. Virginia was third at 87.
NC State ran against Louisville once this year, at the NCAA Pre-Nationals at Terre Haute, Ind., and took third place to finish comfortably ahead of the Cardinals, who finished seventh. The Wolfpack has not raced William & Mary this season.
The front of the women’s race is apt to look like a rerun of the ACC Championships, with second-ranked NC State likely to face its strongest challenges from conference rivals Duke (No. 14), Virginia (No. 22) and Virginia Tech (No. 26).
The Wolfpack won the women’s race with 59 points, thanks in large part to a strong performance from individual champion Julia Lucas, ACC Freshman of the Year Bona Jone (4th overall), and all-conference performaners Brittany Tinsley (9th) and Angelina Blackmon (13th). Duke was second with 88 points, Virginia third at 104, and Virginia Tech fifth at 123.
“We’ve raced well all year, and we’ll need to continue to do that to be successful against this field,” said associate head coach Laurie Henes, who coaches the NC State women. “We also need to get a stronger performance from our fifth runner. We’ve tightened up from one through four, which was a bit of a problem earlier, but we still need someone to step up in the fifth spot.”
NC State’s program goals each year are to win the ACC championship, qualify for the NCAA Championships out of regionals, and to finish in the top 10 at nationals. The Wolfpack has the first goal in hand. The second, qualifying for the national meet, is up for grabs this weekend.
The women’s 6k race will start at 11 a.m., with the men’s 8k race set to follow at 12:15 p.m. NC State enters both races as favorites, but not as unchallenged favorites.
The nationally eighth-ranked men’s team will have to contend with No. 25 Virginia, No. 26 Louisville, and unranked but defending regional champion William & Mary. The NC State men blew through the ACC Championships two weeks ago, placing all eight entrants in the meet’s to 19 finishers, with six earning All-ACC honors.
“We know Virginia has a good cross country team, and Louisville is running on their home course,” said Wolfpack head coach Rollie Geiger, who coaches the men’s team. “Being at home is a big advantage. William & Mary won the regional last year. Only two teams go to nationals out of this, and that’s four teams battling for two spots.”
The men enter the NCAA portion of the season running at an extremely high level and with a deep squad. Wesley Smith, Tibor Vegh, John Crews, Stephen Furst and Gavin Coombs placing in the top 10 at the ACC Championships. Bryce Ruiz finished 13th to earn all-conference honors as well, and Chris Kollar and Fredy Torres both finished in the top 19. NC State won the race with a low score of 31. Virginia was third at 87.
NC State ran against Louisville once this year, at the NCAA Pre-Nationals at Terre Haute, Ind., and took third place to finish comfortably ahead of the Cardinals, who finished seventh. The Wolfpack has not raced William & Mary this season.
The front of the women’s race is apt to look like a rerun of the ACC Championships, with second-ranked NC State likely to face its strongest challenges from conference rivals Duke (No. 14), Virginia (No. 22) and Virginia Tech (No. 26).
The Wolfpack won the women’s race with 59 points, thanks in large part to a strong performance from individual champion Julia Lucas, ACC Freshman of the Year Bona Jone (4th overall), and all-conference performaners Brittany Tinsley (9th) and Angelina Blackmon (13th). Duke was second with 88 points, Virginia third at 104, and Virginia Tech fifth at 123.
“We’ve raced well all year, and we’ll need to continue to do that to be successful against this field,” said associate head coach Laurie Henes, who coaches the NC State women. “We also need to get a stronger performance from our fifth runner. We’ve tightened up from one through four, which was a bit of a problem earlier, but we still need someone to step up in the fifth spot.”
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