Cross Country Continues Post Season At NCAA South Regionals
November 12, 2015 | Cross Country
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Coming off the highest SEC Championships finish in program history, the No. 17 Mississippi State women's cross country team looks to continue making history at the NCAA South Regionals in Tuscaloosa.
The women enter the meet picked to finish first, and the men are predicted to finish 12th, according to the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches' Association rankings. Placing first or second as a team will automatically qualify MSU for nationals, which would be a first for MSU.
Both the men's and women's teams will compete in the meet on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Harry Pritchett Running Track with hopes of making it to the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 21. The women's team is set to run at 9 a.m. CT with the men immediately following at 10 a.m.
Two weeks ago at the SEC Championships, the women's team scored 95 points to finish second, while the men's team finished 10th with 280 points. The women's five scorers all placed in the Top 25.
Senior Marta Freitas earned Second-Team All-SEC honors after finishing ninth at the championships with a personal-best of 20:14.30. Freitas has been the top finisher for MSU in all four meets she has competed in this season.
Also competing Friday will be junior Rhianwedd Price who finished third last season at regionals en route to earning All-Region honors.
Lisa Ziegler and Cornelia Griesche also earned All-Region accolades last year after both ran a personal-best to finish 21st and 22nd.
MSU will also look to sophomore Mia Meydrich, who has had a standout season. The New Orleans, La., native ran a personal-best 20:37.49 to place 24th at the SEC Championships.
Joining the women's team on the course will also be Ffion Price, Shannon Fair and Antonia Hehr.
The men's team faces their first 10K of the season at regionals.
Senior Andrew Monaghan ran a personal-best 24:26.20 at the Championships to finish first for the Bulldogs and 29th overall. Andrew Monghan has finished first for MSU in three meets this season.
Also running a personal-best at the SEC Championships was senior Mathew Dunn. Finishing second for MSU, Dunn ran a time of 24:32.00 to place 32nd.
Seniors Curtis Kelly and Patrick Monaghan will also be competing for the Bulldogs in tomorrow's race, as will sophomore Branden Nosker. Nosker ran a personal-best 26:18.87 at the SEC Championships recording a 73rd-place finish, while capturing the third spot for MSU.
For more information on the MSU track and field teams visit HailState.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@HailStateTF).
