The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Prepared to Defend Conference USA Title in 2007
8/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Aug. 27, 2007
The UAB cross country team continued its climb into the national spotlight last season winning the program's first Conference USA championship.
The Blazers have improved every year under head coach Ray Stanfield, and this year may continue to follow that trend. With a solid group of runners back from 2006, as well as the return of one of the nation's top runners, the Blazers are again in a position of having a very successful year, one they hope ends at the NCAA Championship in late November.
All together, UAB returns nine runners from last season's championship team. On paper, Stanfield thinks the elements are there for the Blazers to have one of the best seasons in the program's history.
"I expect us to win the conference," Stanfield said. "When you return your best runners, and add another back into the mix, it's really hard not to think that. When we line up for that first race we expect to win the title."
Three of the top runners (Whitney Mays, Elizabeth Hilligoss, and Kristina Olsen) who played a crucial role in the Blazers capturing the 2006 Conference USA Championship, return this season. Added back into the mix is Elizabeth Ambrus, the 2005 C-USA individual champion, who is be one of the nation's top distance runners.
"We really have four front-runners," Stanfield said. "Obviously, we have one (Ambrus) really great front-runner, no matter what race you're talking about.
Behind the Blazers' top four runners, Stanfield will have a variety of talent and experience to choose from. Two talented freshmen may also make their impact felt, coming in as two of the most accomplished high school runners, in their respective states.
"It's going to be an exciting year," Stanfield said. "We should have the best team."
Returning Runners
Despite racing twice last year, Ambrus returns as the Blazers' top runner and the most decorated cross country runner in the school's history. The Arlington Heights, Ill. was medically red-shirted last season, due to a nagging ankle injury. In her two races she placed second and first. In 2005, Ambrus was named to the All-Conference USA team and the All-South Region team. She also qualified for nationals and was named the Conference USA Cross Country Athlete of the Year. During her four years as a Blazer, Ambrus has collected nine overall league individual titles, which includes indoor and outdoor track.
"To us she is like a fifth-year quarterback," Stanfield said. "There's no way to match the experience she brings to us."
Hilligoss, a senior from Houston, Texas, earned All-Conference USA honors for the third year in a row, and has been named all-region twice.
"She's a big-time racer," Stanfield said, "A mature runner who is very savvy. From our research if she is named All-Conference again she would be the first runner to earn that designation."
Mays, a senior from Bloomington, Ill., earned her second All-Conference USA award. Mays set two personal bests and was UAB's top finisher three times, including leading the Blazers at the C-USA Championship.
This season, Olsen looks to build upon a freshman year and depending on her success could have the biggest impact on the Blazers in 2007. In her first collegiate meet, Olsen finished first in a field of 128 runners. She placed 14th at the conference meet.
"She has the potential to make a huge jump," said Stanfield of Olsen. "She could make a huge difference in how good we are." Junior Tracy Rowan and sophomores Katie Horton, Kendel Hood, Christina Chambers and Thela Woodring round out the group of returning runners for the Blazers.
"The pressure for these runners to be in the front is off of them," Stanfield said. "They don't have to worry about winning, they can just be good."
Freshmen Will Add Depth
A small, but very talented freshmen class will give the Blazers superior depth. Stephanie Gammon and Lacey Wright, enter college having already had successful high school careers.
"On paper they are as good as any runner that I've signed since I've been here," Stanfield said.
Both runners have individual state cross country titles while helping their teams win several state championships. Gammon won the South Carolina Class AAA state championship in 2005 and never finished lower than third each year. She was a member of two state championship teams. Wright was the Alabama 5A state champion in 2006 and had a second-place finish the year before. She was a member of four state championship teams.
The Schedule
UAB faces a challenging but possibly rewarding 2007 schedule. The Blazers will run against some of the nation's top programs at the Notre Dame Invitational and the Pre-Nationals at Terre Haute, Ind., the site of the national championship. The Blazers will also travel to El Paso, Texas for the C-USA Championship.
The schedule also includes trips to three courses where the Blazers placed first last season. Those meets include the Belmont Opener, UAH Classic and the Great American Festival. UAB will participate in its first meet this Friday in Nashville.
