The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Slated in Top Half of 2019 C-USA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
8/21/2019 11:12:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
BIRMINGHAM – The UAB cross country team has been pegged to finish sixth in the 2019 C-USA Women's Cross Country Preseason poll as voted on by the league's coaches, the conference announced on Wednesday.
"Being picked sixth is where I assumed we would be picked. If you look at the skeleton of the team, it makes sense," said coach Matt Esche. "If you dig into the core of this crew, sixth place is very low for what this team can accomplish. With the returners we have plus the incoming freshman on campus, do not count us out. This is a team out to break barriers."
Along with the incoming freshman class, UAB did not lose a single runner to graduation as junior Serena Martinez was the upperclassmen of last year's group.
The Blazers concluded the 2018 year in the post season after advancing to the NCAA South Regional, finishing in 22nd place. UAB returns each of the five runners from the event in Celestial Moon, Karlee Stortz, Bethan Evans, Laura Thompson and Britney Johnson. The highest classification of the group was Moon, being a redshirt sophomore at the time.
The Blazers closed the regular season last year with an eighth-place finish in the Conference USA Championships led by then freshman Thompson, who clocked in at 18:27.58 to finish in 28th place and notch a career-best mark.
UAB's highest finish on the year was at the Memphis Twilight, placing sixth in the event led by previous sophomore Evans, who finished in 28th place. The Blazers have shown to perform well in the event in recent years, winning the meet in 2017.
UAB will compete in five regular season meets this year, including hosting the second annual Blazer Classic on Oct. 18, followed by the Conference USA Championships with potential NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships in the wings. The Blazers are scheduled to open the 2019 season on Aug. 31 at the Memphis Twilight once again in Memphis, Tenn. Coverage information for the meet will be provided on a later date.
For more information on the UAB cross country team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_TF_XC) or on Instagram (UAB_TF_XC).
"Being picked sixth is where I assumed we would be picked. If you look at the skeleton of the team, it makes sense," said coach Matt Esche. "If you dig into the core of this crew, sixth place is very low for what this team can accomplish. With the returners we have plus the incoming freshman on campus, do not count us out. This is a team out to break barriers."
Along with the incoming freshman class, UAB did not lose a single runner to graduation as junior Serena Martinez was the upperclassmen of last year's group.
The Blazers concluded the 2018 year in the post season after advancing to the NCAA South Regional, finishing in 22nd place. UAB returns each of the five runners from the event in Celestial Moon, Karlee Stortz, Bethan Evans, Laura Thompson and Britney Johnson. The highest classification of the group was Moon, being a redshirt sophomore at the time.
The Blazers closed the regular season last year with an eighth-place finish in the Conference USA Championships led by then freshman Thompson, who clocked in at 18:27.58 to finish in 28th place and notch a career-best mark.
UAB's highest finish on the year was at the Memphis Twilight, placing sixth in the event led by previous sophomore Evans, who finished in 28th place. The Blazers have shown to perform well in the event in recent years, winning the meet in 2017.
UAB will compete in five regular season meets this year, including hosting the second annual Blazer Classic on Oct. 18, followed by the Conference USA Championships with potential NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships in the wings. The Blazers are scheduled to open the 2019 season on Aug. 31 at the Memphis Twilight once again in Memphis, Tenn. Coverage information for the meet will be provided on a later date.
For more information on the UAB cross country team follow the Blazers on Twitter (@UAB_TF_XC) or on Instagram (UAB_TF_XC).
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
UAB Football Postgame Press Conference | Army
Saturday, October 04
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 6
Tuesday, September 30
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 8
Monday, September 29
Coffee with Coach | 2025 Week 7
Monday, September 29
