Post by rainman on Nov 15, 2008 12:28:32 GMT -5
Mountaineer runners head to NCAA regional
MORGANTOWN — The West Virginia University cross country team will compete in the NCAA Regional Saturday in Princeton, N.J. The race will begin at 11 a.m.
WVU returns to West Windsor Fields, the same course where the team took fourth place on Sept. 13, at the Princeton Invitational, to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.
Nationally ranked No. 4 Princeton, No. 5 Villanova and No. 11 Georgetown are expected be WVU’s biggest competition as Princeton has edged WVU in the polls every week this season and Villanova defeated the Mountaineers to take the Big East Championship on Oct. 31.
Princeton, Villanova and Georgetown are ranked No. 1, 2 and 4 in the region, respectively. WVU currently ranks sixth in the nation, according to the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
WVU was idle last week after placing second at the Big East Championship on Oct. 31.
The Mountaineers have won one regional title back in 2004 and have made four appearances at nationals in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007. A finish in the top two spots would qualify WVU to nationals for the second consecutive time. Last year, the Mountaineers placed fourth at regional before earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, where the team earned a ninth-place finish.
MORGANTOWN — The West Virginia University cross country team will compete in the NCAA Regional Saturday in Princeton, N.J. The race will begin at 11 a.m.
WVU returns to West Windsor Fields, the same course where the team took fourth place on Sept. 13, at the Princeton Invitational, to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.
Nationally ranked No. 4 Princeton, No. 5 Villanova and No. 11 Georgetown are expected be WVU’s biggest competition as Princeton has edged WVU in the polls every week this season and Villanova defeated the Mountaineers to take the Big East Championship on Oct. 31.
Princeton, Villanova and Georgetown are ranked No. 1, 2 and 4 in the region, respectively. WVU currently ranks sixth in the nation, according to the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.
WVU was idle last week after placing second at the Big East Championship on Oct. 31.
The Mountaineers have won one regional title back in 2004 and have made four appearances at nationals in 1997, 2000, 2004 and 2007. A finish in the top two spots would qualify WVU to nationals for the second consecutive time. Last year, the Mountaineers placed fourth at regional before earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, where the team earned a ninth-place finish.
