MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama cross country teams will host the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Championship Saturday morning. Action is set to get underway at the Old Brookley Gulf Pines Golf Course with the women's 5k at 10 a.m. with the men's 8k set to start at 11 a.m.

MEET INFORMATION
Date: 10/31
Meet (Host Institution): Sun Belt Conference Championship (South Alabama)
Place: Old Brookley Gulf Pines Golf Course (Mobile, Ala.)
Race Information: Women's 5k – 10 a.m. | Men's 8k – 11 a.m.
Live Timing: Link
Video: Link

THE FIELD
WOMEN'S – 5K – 12 TEAMS
Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, Little Rock, Louisiana, SOUTH ALABAMA, Texas State, Troy, ULM, UTA

MEN'S – 8K – 10 TEAMS
Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Little Rock, Louisiana, SOUTH ALABAMA, Texas State, Troy, ULM, UTA

AT THE LINE FOR THE JAGUARS
WOMEN'S – 5K
– Meredith Bass (R-Fr., Pelham, Ala.)
– Andonet Cheruiyot (Sr., Eldoret Kenya)
– Silje Lindstad (Jr., Bergen, Hordaland, Norway)
– Adele Maguad (So., Martigues, France)
– Carolien Millenaar (Sr., Sørvad, Denmark)
– Susanna Pudner (Sr., Auburn, Ala.)
– Abbey Weitenbeck (So., Huntsville, Ala.)

MEN'S – 8K
– Onesmus, Kemboi (Sr., Eldoret Kenya)
– Jared Peaslee (Fr., Wheaton, Ill.)
– Warno Potgeiter (Sr., Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa)
– Nate Pudner (Sr. Auburn, Ala.)
– Thomas Sand (Jr., Holstebro, Denmark)
– Charlie Slaughter (R-Fr, Birmingham, Ala.)
– Kirami Yego (Fr., Kapenguria, Kenya)

NOTES
- Saturday marks the fifth time that South Alabama has hosted the Sun Belt Cross Country Championship meet with the last coming during the 2018 season.
- The South men will be in search of their ninth conference team title, while the women will be seeking their fifth. The Jaguar men last accomplished that feat back during the 2014 season, while the South women won the title in 2015.
- There have been eight different male Jaguar runners to win the Sun Belt individual title with the last being Christoph Graph in 2014. Zac Edwards (2009), Micah Tirop (2008 and '07), Vincent Rono (2006 and '05), Tonny Okello (2004), David Kamani (1999) and Bobby Abruscato (1981) also picked up Sun Belt titles.
- For the women, three individuals have become Sun Belt champions: Laura Labuschaigne (2017), Laura Martin (1997) and DeAnne Dahmar (1987).
- Last season, Andonet Cheruiyot (first team), Carolien Millenaar (second team) and Silje Linstad (third team) took home all-conference honors on the women's side, while Onesmus Kemboi (second team), Warno Potgieter (second team) and Thomas Sand (third team) received all league honors with their top 15 finishes. Kemboi was also selected as the Sun Belt's Newcomer of the Year.
- After being selected as one of the Top 7 runners during the preseason, Millenaar became the first Jaguar woman to earn SBC Runner of the Week honors for the third time in a season, while her six career honors are also the most by a runner at South.
- Millenaar has led the South women in all three races this season, placing either first or second and placed inside the top 15 in 12 of her 17 career races.
- Over his two years with the program, Kemboi has now finished as the top runner for the men in seven of his nine races.
- Freshman Kirami Yego led the Jag men in their first two races, placing first and second, respectively.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Parker Cowles
- On his expectations heading into the championship meet this weekend:
"The conference meet has always been a top priority for our program and this year it also marks the end of the cross country season and fall competition.  We should be in the best condition of the season and I think both the men and women are excited and ready to go."
- On the advantage of hosting the championship meet on their home course:
"The big advantage of hosting is the familiarity with the course.  We have been able to run a few workouts and long runs out at Brookley and had our early season meet out there.  The team is familiar with it, and can hopefully master their timing.  When you know a course well you are better able to time your moves, you know where the little hills are, and the spots on the course that you can use to your advantage."
- On the women:
"The women are moving back down to 5k and in the past two weeks we have gotten tremendously better.  It is a short race and they should be aggressive early on.  We can be better at matching up one through five with other teams in the front, and that is the goal this weekend."
- On the men's team:
"The men's team strength this year is our pack time.  We have a tight grouping and our 4-5 athletes have changed every meet.  Any one of those guys can step up and run with or be in front of the best teams in the conference.  It is still a five-mile race, so patience and execution are important, but I hope to see the guys race with a lot of confidence."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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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