Saturday, October 30, 2010

MACON, Ga. – The first Atlantic Sun Conference Champions of the 2010-11 academic year will be decided on Saturday as the conference’s top runners head to Spartanburg, S.C., for the Cross Country Championships.

Both of the reigning champions, Jacksonville’s women and Kennesaw State’s men enter as the favorites as each have topped the bi-weekly conference coaches’ poll throughout the year. Jacksonville returns four runners who placed in the top 14 last year, led by senior Anatasia Fokina (seventh in 2009) and sophomore Joane Pierre (10th). Likewise, the Owls return plenty of firepower from last season’s championship squad. Kennesaw State’s top three finishers, Nabil Hamid (third), Jaakko Nieminen (fifth) and Nathan Haskins (eighth) lead the repeat bid.

The defending champions will face familiar foes and rising challengers as they seek to retain their titles. UNF and Lipscomb have emerged as the top threats to Jacksonville, both garnering regional recognition from the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association polls. The Ospreys have come close to snagging the title, finishing second in 2006. Meanwhile, Lipscomb has never placed in the top three, but led by three talented freshmen, Danielle Walker; Alex Newby and Tessa Hoefle, plus junior Ashley Lehman, the Bisons could break through for their first league title.

On the men’s side, Belmont and Lipscomb have spent much of the year in the USTFCCCA regional rankings and USC Upstate moved up the coaches’ poll throughout the year. The Bruins have claimed six A-Sun titles since joining in 2001 while like the women, Lipscomb seeks its first title. A veteran core of seniors Jordan Anderson, Hillary Cheruiyot, Clay Hannah and Kip Hill will attempt to restore Belmont’s place atop the standings. While Belmont features experience, three sophomores lead Lipscomb in Isaiah Greer, Tim Muller and Geoff Musick.

New individual champions are guaranteed to emerge on Saturday as the conference saw Belmont’s Brittany Thune and ETSU’s Kenneth Rotich (each two-time champions) both graduate. The list for leading contenders for the top spot in the women’s side starts with Kennesaw State’s Mackenzie Howe. The 10-time Runner of the Week winner took second to Thune in both 2008 and 2009 and enters the Championship having turned in the fastest 5k time of the season – a 17:11.30 at the Crimson Classic. Other top contenders include the Dolphins’ Pierre, UNF’s Shelby Kittrell – the 2009 Freshman of the Year – and three from the host USC Upstate (Joan Tangwar, Caroline Chelulei and Jemeli Sang).

The men’s race could witness a feat accomplished only once in the last 20 Championships. The host has produced the top individual only one time in that span – Belmont’s Ryan Snellen when he set the conference record of 23:37 – in 2004. This year, USC Upstate’s Gilbert Kemboi could buck that trend. After finishing second in 2009, the Spartan sophomore has won three Runner of the Week awards this fall and enters Saturday having posted the fasted 8k time in the conference, running a 23:22.28 at the Greater Louisville Classic in early October. He will have to battle a litany of contenders including the trio from Kennesaw State, ETSU’s Ben Ronoh and Campbell’s Terence Attema if he hopes to bring home the title.

The women’s race begins at 9 a.m. from the Milliken Research Park with the men’s race slated for 10 a.m.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts five of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.