Friday, September 17
Huntsville, Ala.
TBA
University of Georgia
at
North Alabama Showcase
Photo by: Beau Brune
Cross Country Travels To North Alabama Showcase
September 16, 2021 | Cross Country
ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia's cross country teams will race in their second meet of the year at the North Alabama Showcase in Huntsville, Ala., on the John Hunt Cross Country Running Park on Friday morning.
The meet will serve as a preview for the 2021 NCAA South Regional that will be run on November 12 at the same facility.
When Do The Starting Guns Fire: The Georgia men will start the meet with their 8k race at 8:30 a.m. ET while the Lady Bulldogs will race in 5k competition at 9:15 a.m.
Who Is The Competition: Four top-10 NCAA South Region men's teams will be running and nine of the top 15 South Region women's teams will be participating. Alabama, Alabama A&M, Augusta, Chattanooga, ETSU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, Mississippi State, North Alabama, Ole Miss, Reinhardt, Samford, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, UAB and Wallace State are expected to join Georgia at the meet.
Weather: There is a chance for showers with temperatures in the low 70s on Friday morning in Huntsville.
Cunniff's Quotes: "We will be looking for a significant step up in intensity and competition in Huntsville," said Bulldog distance coach Patrick Cunniff. "Still won't have a full lineup, but with the people we are adding into the field and the fact that we are adjusting the race plan should give us a competitive showing. We are excited to get to the site of this year's (NCAA) Regional meet and I think racing there will help get us into the mindset of reaching our goals later in the year."
"I am excited for Michael Hans to race for the first time and to add that leadership on the course. I also believe that Wesley John and Zachary Roe will continue the progress and momentum they got going at the first meet. On the women's side, Sara Bailey will get a chance on a slightly longer course with a more aggressive race plan, and I look forward to seeing what she can accomplish. I hope our entire women's team can pick up what development was made in the opener and get in a groove where that development turns into success later in the season."
What Dogs Are Competing: Georgia is expecting to have 21 runners competing in its opener. On the women's side, seniors Grace Clements, Marisa Petit, junior Sara Bailey, redshirt sophomore Ellie Hall, sophomores Charlotte Augenstein, Sophia Baker, redshirt freshmen Grace Ellsworth and Morgan Vaden will represent the Red and Black.
Graduate Michael Hans, senior Quinn Burden, juniors Nicolas Fontova, Tyler Fox, Wesley John, Clay Pender, sophomore Noah Hayes, redshirt freshmen Cole Heron, KC Heron, Zachary Roe and freshmen Cooper Bocko, Davis Potts and Will Bray will take the course for the Bulldog men.
Career Debut: Three Georgia runners will be officially suiting up in the red and black in the fall for the first time. Bocko, Potts and Bray will be three of 13 Georgia runners in the first race of the day after running unattached in the opener.
What Happened In The Season Opener: John was 14th overall to help give the Georgia men a third-place finish in the 6k race at the Kennesaw State Opener on Sept. 3 with 81 points. Bailey clocked a 14:23.42 in the 4k race to take sixth as the Lady Bulldogs opened their year with a fourth place showing.
John's 14th-place finish started a flurry of three Bulldog finishers out of 10 runners to complete the race. In his first cross meet wearing the red and black, Roe was Georgia's second finisher after crossing the line in 19:04.52 for 17th. KC Heron also was racing for the first time in the fall for the Bulldogs and was third for his squad, taking 23rd overall (19:15.86).
Fontova ended up being a scorer for the first time after registering a 19:22.80 for 30th. Hayes rounded out the Bulldog scorers after taking 36th (19:32.98).
During the women's race, Bailey posted her first top-10 finish to score for the third straight time in her three-year career. This marked the first time Bailey led the Lady Bulldogs at a meet. Augenstein scored for the first time, taking 23rd with a 15:24.25.
Baker was the third Georgia scorer thanks to a 28th-place finish (15:31.88). Petit finished 32nd with a 15:33.92 to be the fourth Lady Bulldog across the finish line. Georgia's fifth and final scorer was Hall, who took 33rd(15:34.10) in her first action since scoring in five meets as a freshman in 2019.
What's Up Next: After Friday's meet, Georgia will return to Huntsville on Nov. 12 for the NCAA South Regional. Following their second regular season meet, UGA will compete in Fairburn, Ga., at the Alexander/Asics Invitational (Oct. 2) and in Tallahassee at the Pre-Nationals meet (Oct. 15).
The Bulldogs' postseason will star with the SEC Championships in Columbia, Mo., on Oct. 29. Following the Regional in Alabama, Georgia is planning on concluding its season at the NCAA Championships in Tallahassee on Nov. 20.
Keeping Up With The Dogs: Updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (UGATrack).
The meet will serve as a preview for the 2021 NCAA South Regional that will be run on November 12 at the same facility.
When Do The Starting Guns Fire: The Georgia men will start the meet with their 8k race at 8:30 a.m. ET while the Lady Bulldogs will race in 5k competition at 9:15 a.m.
Who Is The Competition: Four top-10 NCAA South Region men's teams will be running and nine of the top 15 South Region women's teams will be participating. Alabama, Alabama A&M, Augusta, Chattanooga, ETSU, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, Mississippi State, North Alabama, Ole Miss, Reinhardt, Samford, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Tennessee, Tulane, UAB and Wallace State are expected to join Georgia at the meet.
Weather: There is a chance for showers with temperatures in the low 70s on Friday morning in Huntsville.
Cunniff's Quotes: "We will be looking for a significant step up in intensity and competition in Huntsville," said Bulldog distance coach Patrick Cunniff. "Still won't have a full lineup, but with the people we are adding into the field and the fact that we are adjusting the race plan should give us a competitive showing. We are excited to get to the site of this year's (NCAA) Regional meet and I think racing there will help get us into the mindset of reaching our goals later in the year."
"I am excited for Michael Hans to race for the first time and to add that leadership on the course. I also believe that Wesley John and Zachary Roe will continue the progress and momentum they got going at the first meet. On the women's side, Sara Bailey will get a chance on a slightly longer course with a more aggressive race plan, and I look forward to seeing what she can accomplish. I hope our entire women's team can pick up what development was made in the opener and get in a groove where that development turns into success later in the season."
What Dogs Are Competing: Georgia is expecting to have 21 runners competing in its opener. On the women's side, seniors Grace Clements, Marisa Petit, junior Sara Bailey, redshirt sophomore Ellie Hall, sophomores Charlotte Augenstein, Sophia Baker, redshirt freshmen Grace Ellsworth and Morgan Vaden will represent the Red and Black.
Graduate Michael Hans, senior Quinn Burden, juniors Nicolas Fontova, Tyler Fox, Wesley John, Clay Pender, sophomore Noah Hayes, redshirt freshmen Cole Heron, KC Heron, Zachary Roe and freshmen Cooper Bocko, Davis Potts and Will Bray will take the course for the Bulldog men.
Career Debut: Three Georgia runners will be officially suiting up in the red and black in the fall for the first time. Bocko, Potts and Bray will be three of 13 Georgia runners in the first race of the day after running unattached in the opener.
What Happened In The Season Opener: John was 14th overall to help give the Georgia men a third-place finish in the 6k race at the Kennesaw State Opener on Sept. 3 with 81 points. Bailey clocked a 14:23.42 in the 4k race to take sixth as the Lady Bulldogs opened their year with a fourth place showing.
John's 14th-place finish started a flurry of three Bulldog finishers out of 10 runners to complete the race. In his first cross meet wearing the red and black, Roe was Georgia's second finisher after crossing the line in 19:04.52 for 17th. KC Heron also was racing for the first time in the fall for the Bulldogs and was third for his squad, taking 23rd overall (19:15.86).
Fontova ended up being a scorer for the first time after registering a 19:22.80 for 30th. Hayes rounded out the Bulldog scorers after taking 36th (19:32.98).
During the women's race, Bailey posted her first top-10 finish to score for the third straight time in her three-year career. This marked the first time Bailey led the Lady Bulldogs at a meet. Augenstein scored for the first time, taking 23rd with a 15:24.25.
Baker was the third Georgia scorer thanks to a 28th-place finish (15:31.88). Petit finished 32nd with a 15:33.92 to be the fourth Lady Bulldog across the finish line. Georgia's fifth and final scorer was Hall, who took 33rd(15:34.10) in her first action since scoring in five meets as a freshman in 2019.
What's Up Next: After Friday's meet, Georgia will return to Huntsville on Nov. 12 for the NCAA South Regional. Following their second regular season meet, UGA will compete in Fairburn, Ga., at the Alexander/Asics Invitational (Oct. 2) and in Tallahassee at the Pre-Nationals meet (Oct. 15).
The Bulldogs' postseason will star with the SEC Championships in Columbia, Mo., on Oct. 29. Following the Regional in Alabama, Georgia is planning on concluding its season at the NCAA Championships in Tallahassee on Nov. 20.
Keeping Up With The Dogs: Updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (UGATrack).
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