Miami XC Prepared for NCAA Regionals
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Miami cross country program will have eight student-athletes represent the Hurricanes at the 2013 NCAA Cross Country Regional Championships.
The Canes will compete Nov. 15 in the South Regional in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The South Region is made up of schools from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee.
“It’s been a long season, but at this point of the year, I think that we’re ready to compete,” Miami distance coach Damon Griffiths said. “We have already raced against several of the teams we will face this weekend at some of the meets we have run this year and competed well. We just want them to close out the season on the best not possible.”
Miami will compete on the Harry Pritchett Running Course, with the men’s 10K scheduled for 11 a.m. ET and the women’s 6K starting at 12:15 p.m. ET.
Lindsi Arrington will be Miami’s lone female representative. The senior racked up four Top 10 finishes in six races this year. She has been Miami’s top women’s finisher in every race this season.
Arrington placed second at the WA Collegiate Invitational with a time of 13:14.28 and finished ninth at the UF Mountain Dew Invitational 6K, running a 21:45.57.
Following a 12th place finish at the Charlotte Invitational 6K, Arrington turned in her best run of the year at the Disney Cross Country Classic. The senior, who placed fourth with a time of 17:36.23, shattered her previous personal-best by 43 seconds and moved into second place on Miami’s women’s 5K list.
“She’s had several great workouts and several great meets this season,” Griffiths said. “We are still confident that she has another great race in her and hopefully it comes Friday morning.”
On the men’s side, seven Hurricanes will hit the course including senior leaders JaCee Jarnagin, Sean Pezzulo and Luke Fontaine.
“I think JaCee, Sean and Luke should be able to lead the charge for the men and put us in a great position to hopefully finish in the Top 15 at the regional,” Griffiths said.
Jarnagin, Pezzulo and Fontaine have been Miami’s top male runners all season and will look to pace a talented group in Tuscaloosa. Joining the trio is senior Jonas Frenzel, as well as juniors Douglas Dourado and AJ Ricketts and sophomore Kevin Marsh.
“Going into this regional championship, I am as confident as I have been with any team in the past,” Griffiths said. “We’ve just got to go out there and hopefully it clicks for a lot of them on the same day.”
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