Florida Gators
NCAA South Regional Championship
Cross Country Teams Finish Third at Regionals
Saturday, November 10, 2007 | Cross Country
University of Florida junior Jeremy Criscione (Interlachen, Fla.) earned an automatic bid as an individual to the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships with a seventh place finish at Saturday's South Regional Championship. Both Florida's men's and women's cross country teams placed third and will await word on at-large bids to the national championships.
The Florida men began a gorgeous race day at the Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, finishing third of 19 teams in the 10K race. Four Gator individuals earned spots on the All-South Region team for their top 25 finishes, Crisione, sophomore Sean Blaney (Kissimmee, Fla.), senior Steven Hassen (Ocala, Fla.) and senior Scott Hans (Middleburg, Fla.). Criscione was one of the top four individuals not on one of the top two teams, to individually qualify for the NCAA Championships. He finished seventh with a career-best 10K tome of 30:43.64, more than 15 seconds faster than his previous best. Blaney continued his consistent season, finishing second for the Gators in 12th overall with at time of 31:03.90 in the first 10K race of his career. Hassen continued to improve, earning the third all-region honor of his career with his 16th place finish and a time of 31:09.79. As a senior Hans ran the first 10K of his career and earned his first all-region honor with a 20th place finish and a time of 31:22.30. Senior Enoch Nadler (Keystone Heights, Fla.) rounded out the Florida top-five in 31st with a time of 31:54.31. Sophomore Justin Taylor (St. Augustine, Fla.) ran a new career-best time by three minutes to finish 35th with a 32:02.43. Senior Jose Garcia (Miami, Fla.) also ran a career-best time of 32:11.77 as Florida's final finisher in 37th.
In the women's 6K race, senior Lindsay Sundell (Fort Salonga, N.Y.) led the team, finishing in the top 10 with a time of 21:00.78. In addition to Sundell, freshman Rebecca Lowe (Vaucluse, Australia) and junior Sara Petrick (Apollo Beach, Fla.) earned All-South Region honors for their top 25 finishes. It was the third All-Region honor for Sundell and the first for Lowe and Petrick. Lowe finished in 12th with her career-best time of 21:10.48. Petrick finished 23rd with a career-best time of 21:36.36. Florida's next three runners crossed the finish line in order starting with fourth finisher was freshman Ali Crabb (St. Petersburg, Fla.) with a time of 21:50.06 in 27th place. In 28th place was sophomore Alison Babb (Gainesville, Fla.) in 21:54.63. Senior Kristen Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) finished in 21:55.82 to place 29th. Florida's final women's finisher was junior Jacy Kruzel (Cooper City, Fla.) in 31st with a time of 21:57.17.
“Today's race is not just about today,” Head Coach Jeff Pigg said. “We compete throughout the whole year to get to nationals. Our schedule and performances during the year play a big part in whether or not we get an at-large bid. I feel that we are in the spot we need to be in. Of course, I wanted to be second, but we weren't. In any other sport, if you play in an NCAA Tournament game and you win by one point, it's a win and you move on. If we get an at-large bid, it won't matter that we were third, we will still be at the national meet.”
“It was great to see Lindsay Sundell feeling so well today. She always runs well on our course. Rebecca Lowe was consistent as she has been all season. Jeremy Criscione again did a great job for us and Sean Blaney was very consistent. It was great to see Steven Hassen running better and he will be even better at nationals. Scott Hans ran the best race of his career.”
“I have to compliment the teams that won today. The Alabama men are just a tremendous team. They are very good and I hope they run as well at nationals as they did today. That will speak very well for our region. The Florida State women are without a doubt, a top four team in the country.”
The Gators now await word on at-large bids. The official announcement will be made no later than 7 p.m. ET Sunday, November 11. The NCAA Championships are Monday, November 19 at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center just outside of Terre Haute, Ind.
Men's Top 10 Teams
1. Alabama, 28
2. Florida State. 52
3. Florida, 82
4. Belmont, 121
5. Mississippi State, 135
6. Auburn, 152
7. Georgia, 176
8. Tennessee, 178
9. Georgia Tech, 230
10. Chattanooga, 291
Men's 10K Top 25 Agate and Additional Florida Finishers
1. Felix Kibioywo, Auburn, 30:05.48; 2. Emmanuel Bor, Alabama, 30:10.23; 3. Augustus Maiyo, Alabama, 30:18.48; 4. Andrew Kirwa, Alabama, 30:21.24; 5. Luke Gunn, Florida State, 30:28.24; 6. Abraham Kutingala, Alabama, 30:31.51; 7. Jeremy Cricione, Florida, 30:43.64; 8. Mark Buckingham, Florida State, 30:48.61; 9. Micah Tirop, South Alabama, 30:53.33; 10. Steeve Gabart, Florida State, 30:56.46; 11. David Harren, Georgia Tech, 30:58.47; 12. Sean Blaney, Florida, 31:03.90; 13. Colin Magut, Belmont, 31:04.47; 14. Titus Koeh, Alabama, 31:08.14; 15. Daniel Roberts, Florida State, 31:08.75; 16. Steven Hassen, Florida, 31:09.79; 17. Matt Leeder, Florida State, 31:16.63; 18. Ryley Miller, Georgia, 31:18.08; 19. Jacob Buckman, Belmont, 31:18.55; 20. Scott Hans, Florida, 31:22.30; 21. Patrick Philbin, Auburn, 31:26.79; 22. Ashenafi Arega, Mississippi State, 31:31.75; 23. Micheal Mentz, Chattanooga, 31:35.46; 24. Andrew Press, Tennessee, 31:37.88; 25. Ben Blakenship, Mississippi State, 41:42.83; 31. Enoch Nadler, Florida, 31:54.31; 35. Justin Taylor, Florida, 32:02.43; 37. Jose Garcia, Florida, 32:11.77.
Women's Top 10 Teams
1. Florida State, 40
2. Georgia, 75
3. Florida, 94
4. Tennessee, 152
5. Alabama-Birmingham, 184
6. Georgia State, 210
7. Georgia Tech, 237
8. Samford, 249
9. Chattanooga, 258
10. Belmont, 272
Women's 6K Top 25 Agate and Additional Florida Finishers
1. Susan Kuijken, Florida State, 20:19.01; 2. Barbara Parker, Florida State, 20:35.69; 3. Lauren Blakenship, Samford, 20:45.23; 4. Hannah England, Florida State, 20:48.55; 5. Lauren Weaver, Belmont, 20:51.49; 6. Sarah Madebach, Georgia, 20:52.85; 7. Natalie Picchetti, Georgia, 20:55.05; 8. Rachel Hannah, Georgia State, 20:55.91; 9. Elizabeth Ambrus, UAB, 20:58.79; 10. Lindsay Sundell, Florida, 21:00.78; 11. Katie VanHorn, Tennessee, 21:06.48; 12. Rebecca Lowe, Florida, 21:10.48; 13. Kiah Vernon, Georgia, 21:11.65; 14. Sarah Bowman, Tennessee, 21:12.19; 15. Pilar McShine, Florida State, 21:13.30; 16. Heidi Magill-Dahl, Tennessee, 21:15.36; 17. Kathleen Turchin, Chattanooga, 21:20.46; 18. Haley Moody, Alabama, 21:24.19; 19. Zamzam Sangau, Middle Tennessee State, 21:26.55; 20. Kirsten Hagen, Florida State, 21:27.53; 21. Emily Houston, Georgia, 21:31.20; 22. Elena Linn, Georgia Tech, 21:31.67; 23. Sara Petrick, Florida, 21:36.36; 24. Audrey Hand, Florida State, 21:38.61; 25. Lydia Willemse, Florida State, 21:43.89; 27. Ali Crabb, Florida, 21:50.06; 28. Alison Babb, Florida, 21:54.63; 29. Kristen Johnson, Florida, 21:55.82; 31. Jacy Kruzel, Florida, 21:57.17.
