MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama men's and women's cross country teams will compete in their final regular season meet Friday morning at the Crimson Classic hosted by the University of Alabama at the Harry Pritchett Running Park.

The Jaguar men will be one of 30 teams competing in the 8k scheduled to start at 9 a.m., while the women will compete against 32 other programs in their first 6k of the fall slated to start at 9:45 a.m.

MEET INFORMATION
Date: 10/13
Meet (Host Institution): Crimson Classic (Alabama)
Place: Harry Pritchett Running Park (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Live Stats: https://results.flotrack.org/XC-PTT.html?mid=1288
Video: None

THE FIELD
WOMEN – 6K – 33 TEAMS
Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Belmont, Chattanooga, Florida State, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, LeMoyne-Owen, Lipscomb, LSU, Marion Millitary Institute, Memphis, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, Mississippi State, North Florida, Oklahoma, Samford, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, South Carolina, Southern Mississippi, Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee-Martin, Texas A&M, Troy, UAB, Texas-Arlington, UT-Rio Grand Valley, Vanderbilt

MEN – 8K – 30 TEAMS
Alabama, Alabama State, Auburn, Belmont, Chattanooga, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, LeMoyne-Owen, Lipscomb, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Marion Millitary Institute, Memphis, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, Mississippi State, North Florida, Oklahoma, Samford, Southeastern Louisiana, South Alabama, Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee-Martin, Texas A&M, Troy, Texas-Arlington, UT-Rio Grand Valley, Vanderbilt

AT THE LINE FOR THE JAGUARS
WOMEN – 6K
-Katelyn Cowie (Fr., Cullman, Ala.)
-Kailee Kiminski (Jr., Esko, Minn.)
-Laura Labuschaigne (Jr., Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa)
-Carolien Millenaar (Fr., Sogard, Denmark)
-Susanna Pudner (Fr., Auburn, Ala.)
-Gillianne Sharp (So., Huntsville, Ala.)
-Olivia Swan (So., Spanish Fort, Ala.)
-Nicole Van Der Merwe (Fr., Alberton, Gauteng, South Africa)

MEN – 8K
-Graylon Cross (So., Huntsville, Ala.)
-Luke Fielding (So., Tauranga, New Zeland)
-Phillip Friedlander (Sr., Mobile, Ala.)
-Dylan Pausic (So., Dylan Pausic)
-Warno Potgeiter (Fr., Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa)
-Nate Pudner (Fr., Auburn, Ala.)
-Ben Rolader (Jr., Auburn, Ala.)
-John Paul Rumore (Fr., Hoover, Ala.)
-Migael Strydom (Fr., Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)

NOTES
- Laura Labuschcaigne is the lone women's runner to have competed at the Crimson Classic last season as she finished 15th out of the 251 runner field.
- Including that finish and dating back to the start of last season, Labuschaigne has now finished inside the top 30 in each of her last seven races which also includes three individual wins.  The junior has won both races that she has competed in this season.
- Freshmen runners Carolien Millenaar and Nicole Van Der Merwe have also had excellent starts to their careers as the duo has placed inside the top 10 in each of their first two collegiate races.
- The Jaguar women have also won both events that they've competed in this season capturing the 5k team titles at the Azalea City Classic (9/8) and in the Blue Division race at the Greater Louisville Classic (Se[pt. 30).
- This will be the first 6k race for the women this fall.
- Friday's meet will mark the first time this season that South will run the full complement of athletes from both teams.  Scheduled to see their first action of the fall are Olivia Swan on the women's side and Graylon Cross for the men.
- Freshman runner Warno Potgieter is coming off a second-place finish at the Greater Louisville Classic where he finished with a time of 25:14 and earned Sun Belt Conference Runner of the Week honors.
- Sophomore Luke Fielding and freshman runner Migael Strydom have each placed inside the top 10 in each meet this fall.  Fielding has finished sixth or better in the two events, while Strydom placed fourth in the season opener.
- The South Alabama men scored 62 points in the 11-team Division I 8k at the Greater Louisville Classic to tie with Memphis and win the program's first meet since 2015.
- The course will provide a good preview for both Jaguar teams as the NCAA South Regional is scheduled to be run there later this season on Nov. 10.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Parker Cowles
- On the field: "This is the strongest field we have seen this year.  Around 30 Division I programs have entered, and every Division I program in the state with the exception of Alabama A&M should be in attendance.  Mississippi State, Middle Tennessee and Oklahoma will certainly add to the depth of the field; and for the first time this season we will compete against Troy and Texas-Arlington from our conference."
- On his expectations for both teams in this meet as they get ready for the postseason: "With around 300 people set to compete, I think the biggest challenge will be negotiating the large field size. I am looking for both programs to be patient and execute late in the race.  We did a lot of good things at Louisville, but I hope we can tighten up our pack time for our 1 through 5 runners, while maintaining some athletes near the front of the field.  The ladies especially have to be patient as they are running the 6 kilometer distance for the first time this year."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Finish Line Club, the track and field and cross country specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  All donations to the Finish Line Club go directly to support the South Alabama track and field/cross country programs.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/finishlineclub.

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