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Toreros Face the Best in the West
Nov. 10, 2011
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The University of San Diego cross country team will be tested yet again, as they face top-ranked runners at the NCAA Cross Country Western Regional this Saturday, November 12th, hosted by Stanford University. The race is a qualifier for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, held in Terre Haute, IN on November 21, 2011. Only the top two teams from the regional will advance automatically to the national meet, with the rest of the 31-team field announced on Sunday. “I am always looking forward to having our team compete in this regional meet,” said head coach Will Guarino. “This is the strongest region in the country when you look at the ranked teams that will be racing this Saturday. There is not much room for error, for all 31 teams are stacked and will be ready to race once the gun goes off.” The Toreros will be racing a full squad on the women’s side, but have shortened down the men’s roster with just three runners competing in the NCAA Regional. The women’s line-up will consist of senior Jenessa Rose, senior Kirsten Allan, sophomore Lauren Rice, sophomore Gillian Gorelik, senior Tracy Vargo, junior Kristy Koenes, and senior Emerald Raney. “The women’s team has the fastest 5k and 6k team time ever at USD and they will go to the Western Regional well prepared. We are excited to have seven strong women that are capable of running in our top spots on any given day,” added Guarino.
Competing on the men’s side are senior John Maheu, junior Cameron Erhardt, and freshman Johnathan Garcia. The men’s team will be facing their longest race of the year, extending the course distance from their regular 8k race to a 10k race. All three Toreros have set personal best marks this season and will look to further improve this Saturday. The race will be held atop the Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, CA, which consists of mostly short grass, allowing less resistance and an opportunity for fast times. The course is relatively flat with a series of loops on the front side of the golf course. The women’s 6k race will have one inner loop and two outer loops, while the men’s 10k race will be four outer loops. The USD runners will be facing a cooler climate as they head into competition this weekend, with Saturday’s partly cloudy forecast reaching a temperature high of 61 degrees with light winds. Saturday’s competition will commence at 10:00 a.m. with the men’s 10k race, followed by the women’s 6k race at 11:15 a.m. |
