Miami XC Excited for ACC Championships
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami cross country program will race against conference foes for the right to call themselves ACC Champions.
The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships will be held at the Beeson Park Course in Kernersville, N.C. The men’s 8k race will start at 10 a.m., followed by the women’s 6k competition at 11 a.m.
“I think we’re as prepared as we’re going to be heading into the conference meet this Friday,” Miami distance coach Damon Griffiths said. “The training has been going well and the student-athletes have really responded well the past couple of weeks. We just need to be able to respond on race day.”
The Canes will have 14 student-athletes racing at the conference meet, eight men and six women. Griffiths believes the Hurricanes will have a chance to turn in one of their best performances in recent history at the 2013 ACC Championships.
“Since our last race, practice has been a little more spirited and competitive,” Griffiths said. “I am hoping to see that next group of 3 or 4 runners on the team take the step that helps us be a scorer at the conference meet.”
Miami’s women will be paced by senior Lindsi Arrington. The Woodbridge, Va., native has been the Canes’ top finisher at every race this season. Arrington, who ran the second-fastest women’s 5K time in Miami history at the Disney Cross Country Classic (17:36.23), has a chance to be one of the best finishers in Hurricanes history.
“I think Lindsi is capable of finishing in the Top 20 at the conference meet this season and that would be the highest finish since 2005,” Griffiths said. “Not to put pressure on her, but I think that she is as ready as she is going to be.”
On the men’s side, seniors JaCee Jarnagin, Sean Pezzulo and Luke Fontaine lead a talented group of runners that Griffiths believes could make some noise at the conference meet.
“We’ve really stuck to the plan this year,” Griffiths said. “It’s great to have everybody firing on all cylinders right now. We’re looking for Sean, jaCee, Luke, Jonas (Frenzel), Connor (Adams) and a couple of other guys to put us in the position to beat the teams that we know we are capable of beating this weekend.”
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