NCAA Championship Appearance on the Line as Gators Run at South Regional Championships Friday
Thursday, November 13, 2014 | Cross Country
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A spot in the NCAA Championships will be on the line for the Gators when they take to the Apalachee Regional Park cross country course on Friday (Nov. 14) at the 2014 South Regional Championships in Tallahassee, Florida. The women's race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the men's race at 10 a.m.
The Gators will face stiff competition in Tallahassee, as 58 squads (27 men, 31 women) are scheduled to race for an automatic qualification to the 2014 NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Saturday, Nov. 22.
The top two teams from each race will earn the South Region's automatic bids to the season-ending championship event. Additionally, 13 at-large team bids will be awarded. Individually, the top-four finishers from each region not on an automatic-qualifying team will earn a spot in championship race, and two at-large bids will be awarded. Both the team and individual at-large bids will be announced on Saturday, Nov. 15.
PROJECTED RUNNERS
| Men | 10K Personal Best |
| John Beitter (Fr.) | -- |
| Elliot Clemente (Jr.) | -- |
| Austin Decker (Fr.) | -- |
| Thomas Howell (Fr.) | -- |
| David Kilgore (RJr.) | -- |
| Carlos Miranda (So.) | 30:50.05 (`13 Regionals) |
| Mark Mutz (RSo.) | -- |
| Mac Reynolds (So.) | 31:24.70 (`13 Regionals) |
| Women | 6K Personal Best |
| Lauren Brasure (Fr.) | 20:27.00 (`14 Paul Short) |
| Becky Greene (RFr.) | 21:03.00 (`14 Paul Short) |
| Macy Huskey (RJr.) | 21:58.58 (`13 Regionals) |
| Amber Johnson (So.) | 21:57.16 (`14 SECs) |
| Devin McDermott (RSo.) | 21:15.81 (`14 SECs) |
| Taylor Tubbs (So.) | 20:37.00 (`14 Paul Short) |
| Grace VanDeGrift (RJr.) | 21:21.00 (`14 Paul Short) |
| Gabrielle Yatauro (Fr.) | 23:26.56 (`14 SECs) |
SOUTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Men's Championships: 2 | 1986, 1990
2013 Regional Finish: 2nd (73 points)
2013 Top Performer (returning): Carlos Miranda (29th, 30:50.05)
Women's Championships: 3 | 1997, 1998, 2009
2013 Regional Finish: 4th (153 points)
2013 Top Performer (returning): Taylor Tubbs (33rd, 20:59.36)
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
· The men will run a 10K on Friday – their first 10K of the year
· Last year the Gator men finished second (73 points), earning an automatic qualification to the 2013 NCAA Championships. Mark Parrish and Jimmy Clark (redshirting this year) were the top-two finishers at the meet. Parrish became UF-s second-ever NCAA South Region Champion, running a personal-best 29.44.24 (10K). Clark took second with a career-best 29:49.46
· The women's squad finished fourth, but had two individuals, Cory McGee and Agata Strausa, earn individual at-large bids
· The school record for a men's 10K is 29:19.2 (Keith Brantly, 1983) and the women's 6K school record is 19:44.04 (Erin Merten, 2001)
IN THE POLLS
In the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association regional rankings, the Gator women sit at No. 9 in the South Region. On the men's side, the Gators are planted at No. 12.
SPANGLER SPEAKS
On the progression of sophomore Taylor Tubbs…
“She's done a good job. She has a made a lot of progress since graduating high school, and she is capable of doing a lot. I know she is looking for a big race, along with the rest of the women.”
On running on a familiar course…
“Most of our athletes are from Florida, so they have had an opportunity to compete at the state championships, which is on that same course. Then those that were here two years ago ran at the regional championships, so it's a course that is familiar with a lot of our athletes.”
-Florida assistant track and cross country coach Paul Spangler
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