The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Cross Country Team Set to Begin Practice
8/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Aug. 15, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The UAB cross country team will open its fall practice schedule here today as the Blazers begin preparation for their 2003 season opener at the Belmont Opener in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 5.
"All the recruiting has paid off," said UAB head coach Ray Stanfield. "It's going to be an interesting and exciting year. Of our 15 runners, 12 are newcomers and 10 of those are freshmen. The athletes won 21 state championships and two national championships in high school. My job is to help them translate their high school talent to the collegiate level."
Three returners will be counted on to give the team some leadership. Seniors Amanda Kara and Emily Scarbrough return to the squad after a successful 2002 season. Junior Andrea Burdette returns to the team after spending a year in Kenya on a service trip.
Many new faces will don the UAB uniform this fall. The squad includes two sisters, Adel and Elizabeth Anderson, from Pyramid, South Africa. Adel, a freshman, owns 13 provincial championships and two national titles in her home country.
In addition, the Blazers have three state champions in the freshman class. Jennifer Thompson, a native of Arab, Ala., is a three-time Alabama Cross Country State Champion. Laura Koob was the Tennessee State Champion and Ryanne Fortney won the title in her home state of Kentucky.
UAB's first day of practice begins with a four-mile time trial. The coaches are hoping to use the time trail to see how conditioned the team is.
The Blazers' 2003 schedule includes the Belmont Open (9/5), the UAH Invitational (9/13), the Crimson Classic (9/19), the Notre Dame Invite (10/3), a meet at Auburn (10/10) and the Chile Pepper Invitational (10/19). UAB finishes the season at the Conference USA Championships in Tampa, Fla., Nov. 1.
