Friday, November 10
Gainesville, Fla.
8:30 a.m.
Mercer University
vs
NCAA South Region Championships
Cross Country to Compete at NCAA South Regional
11/9/2023 12:45:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Athletics Department
MACON – Mercer men's and women's cross country teams will race in Gainesville at the NCAA DI South Regional on Friday. The women's 6k is at 8:30 a.m., and the men's 10k is at 9:30 a.m.
Two weeks after the Southern Conference Championships in Kernersville, N.C., the Bears travel to their second postseason meet of 2023. At the conference meet, the women's team out-performed their sixth place preseason ranking, placing fourth. The men matched their third place preseason ranking while competing without their top runner, Josh Kraver, who was out due to injury. These are the highest team finishes Mercer has recorded and the third consecutive third place finish for the men. Kamila Soja placed fifth overall, earning All-Conference honors and is now the highest conference finisher in Mercer cross country history.
The race will be the women's second 6k and the men's first 10k of the season. In the previous 6k at the Paul Short Run, Kamila Soja set the program record for women's 6k times. In last year's Region meet, the women placed 29th, and the men placed 18th--their highest Region finish.
In the most recent region rankings, Alabama men lead the way after a second-place finish at the SEC meet, followed by Tennessee who was third at the SEC meet. Southern Conference rival ETSU is ranked 11th. On the women's side, host team Florida holds the top spot following a first place finish at the SEC meet. Tennessee is in second and finished third at SECs. SoCon teams Samford and Chattanooga sit at 14 and 15, and Mercer finished just behind these two teams at the conference meet. As was seen at the SoCon Championships, the Bears have potential to perform above expectations and have a great opportunity to finish the Region meet the highest they ever have.Â
NCAA cross country regions are determined by state, and the South Region is made up of schools from Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida.Â
Follow along in Friday's races with live results.
Two weeks after the Southern Conference Championships in Kernersville, N.C., the Bears travel to their second postseason meet of 2023. At the conference meet, the women's team out-performed their sixth place preseason ranking, placing fourth. The men matched their third place preseason ranking while competing without their top runner, Josh Kraver, who was out due to injury. These are the highest team finishes Mercer has recorded and the third consecutive third place finish for the men. Kamila Soja placed fifth overall, earning All-Conference honors and is now the highest conference finisher in Mercer cross country history.
The race will be the women's second 6k and the men's first 10k of the season. In the previous 6k at the Paul Short Run, Kamila Soja set the program record for women's 6k times. In last year's Region meet, the women placed 29th, and the men placed 18th--their highest Region finish.
In the most recent region rankings, Alabama men lead the way after a second-place finish at the SEC meet, followed by Tennessee who was third at the SEC meet. Southern Conference rival ETSU is ranked 11th. On the women's side, host team Florida holds the top spot following a first place finish at the SEC meet. Tennessee is in second and finished third at SECs. SoCon teams Samford and Chattanooga sit at 14 and 15, and Mercer finished just behind these two teams at the conference meet. As was seen at the SoCon Championships, the Bears have potential to perform above expectations and have a great opportunity to finish the Region meet the highest they ever have.Â
NCAA cross country regions are determined by state, and the South Region is made up of schools from Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida.Â
Follow along in Friday's races with live results.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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