Sun Belt Conference Weekly Release
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Sun Belt Conference named its final Runners of the Week for cross country late Wednesday evening and South Alabama senior Harry Larubi became the third Jaguar this season to earn the honor. It is Larubi's second career R.O.W selection, having won the award in the second week of the 2004 campaign. Larubi joins teammates Vincent Rono (Sept. 26, and Oct 10) and Tonny Okello (Oct. 4) to give the Jags three different award winners in the same season for the first time ever.
In just his second meet of the year, Larubi came back from injury to earn his first victory since 2004, posting a time of 15:48.07 for the hilly 5K (3.1 mile) course this past Saturday at the Coach "O" Invitational in Troy, Ala.
In his first year as a Jaguar, 2004, Larubi was the only runner to beat Okello in that year's regular season (Southern Miss Invitational 4-mile - 20:12). The Gulu, Uganda native has struggled with injuries, but manages to show up big in conference championships, finishing in the top-5 in both cross country championships since his arrival. Larubi was second in 2004 and fourth last year.
The Jaguars head to Little Rock, Ark., for the Johnny Carino's Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday. The meet begins at 10 a.m., (CT) with the women's 5K race. The Jaguar men's team, ranked No. 9 in the South Region according to the latest United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Poll, will compete in the 8K race scheduled for 11 a.m. The Championships can be seen via Sun Belt TV by logging on to www.sunbeltsports.org.
