MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama cross country teams will continue the 2018 campaign this weekend when the Jaguars host the Azalea City Classic held at the Brookley Field Golf Course on Friday.  

Following the completion of high school races earlier in the day, the women will open the collegiate portion of the meet with a 5k set to begin at 4:05 p.m., while the men's 8k is scheduled to start at 4:35 p.m.

MEET INFORMATION
Date: 9/7
Meet (Host Institution): Azalea City Classic (South Alabama)
Place: Brookley Golf Course (Mobile, Ala.)

THE FIELD
WOMEN – 5K – 8 TEAMS
Alabama State, Marion Military, Mobile, New Orleans, Spring Hill, South Alabama, Southern and Troy.

MEN – 8K – 8 TEAMS
Alabama State, Marion Military, Mobile, New Orleans, Spring Hill, South Alabama, Southern and Troy.

AT THE LINE FOR THE JAGUARS
WOMEN – 5K
– Andonet Cheruiyot (So., Eldoret Kenya)
– Katelyn Cowie (So., Cullman, Ala.)
– Kailee Kiminski (Sr., Esko, Minn.)
– Shaleiya [Shay] Lee (Fr., Bradenton, Fla.)
– Silje Lindstad (Fr., Bergen, Hordaland, Norway)
– Anna McGowan (Fr., Hoover, Ala.)
– Carolien Millenaar (So., Sørvad, Denmark)
– Susanna Pudner (So., Auburn, Ala.)
– Lindsay Scifers (Fr., Euharlee, Ga.)
– Gillianne Sharp (Jr., Huntsville, Ala.)
– Cindy Von Ahlefeldt (Jr., Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)

MEN – 8K
– Larry Lombard (Jr., Johannesburg, South Africa)
– Dylan Pausic (Jr., Birmingham, Ala.)
– Warno Potgeiter (So., Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa)
– Nate Pudner (So. Auburn, Ala.)
– Ben Rolader (Sr., Auburn, Ala.)
– Thomas Sand Nielsen (Fr., Holstebro, Denmark)
– Korey Shively (Fr., Madison, Ala.)
– Migael Strydom (So., Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa)

NOTES
- The last time South Alabama ran out at the Brookley Golf Course was the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Championship.  The league championship event will also be held there later this season on Oct. 27.
-This will be the first of four-straight 8K races for the South Alabama men.
- Jaguar all-conference runners Carolien Millennar, Migael Strydom and Warno Potgieter are scheduled to compete in their first meet of the 2018 season.  Along with those three runners, it will be the season debuts for Kailee Kiminski, Susanna Pudner and Ben Rolader.
- Last week, sophomore transfer Andonet Cheruiyot made her Jaguar debut taking home top honors in the 5k at the Challenge of Champions, while also leading South to the team title.  Cheruiyot's time was nearly 40 seconds faster than the second-best time posted.
- The Jag women captured four of the top five spots and had seven of their eight runners finish in the top 10.
- On the men's side, freshman runner Thomas Sand Nielsen was the lone competitor to finish with a sub-16 minute time as he won the men's 5k with a time of 15:57.7.
- Sophomore Nate Pudner also posted a strong time of 16:04.3 to finish second.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Parker Cowles
- On what he's looking for out of his teams this week: "This meet marks the start of the competitive season, and I want to see a dominant but also disciplined performance on our home course.  Thomas [Sand Nielsen] and Andonet [Cheruiyot] led the team last weekend.  For this meet I want both of them to run with the varsity returners who sat out last week.  For the first half of both races I would like to see our front runners set a controlled tone for the race, and work in group.

"When you factor in heat and humidity on the bay, the rain soaked course, and then also consider the men are running a full 8k race, discipline is going to be important.  The race plan emphasizes an even effort tempo early on and it will be important for the team to stick to that.

- On the field: "I am excited with the field for this year's meet.  It has grown from last year and these runners are going to experience a great course and one that really showcases the bay.  I think we are most excited to face off with in state rivals Alabama State and especially with Troy."

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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