The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, August 31
Memphis, TN
8 p.m.
UAB
at
City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic
UAB Takes Mark for Season Opener at City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic
8/30/2019 8:26:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
BIRMINGHAM – The UAB cross country team opens the 2019 season at the City Auto Memphis Twilight Classic, hosted by Christian Brothers University at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tenn., on Saturday.
"We love going to the Memphis Twilight," said coach Esche. "We won the meet two years ago. It's going to be a fun thing. We're going to be able to debut everybody. We don't like to hide when we're racing, so we're going to race everybody right out of the gates. We'll have some freshman getting their first lick of college competition, so it'll be awesome."
The college women's 5k heat will begin at 8:20 p.m. Joining the Blazers in the 17-team women's field are the likes of Alabama, Ole Miss, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss. and reigning 2018 champion Missouri among others.
Each of the aforementioned SEC teams were ranked to finish in the top half of the conference in the 2019 SEC Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Poll with Alabama coming in at No. 7, Missouri being voted to finish fifth and Ole Miss being projected to finish as high as second in the league. Middle Tennessee and Southern Miss were also picked to finish just ahead of UAB in the 2019 C-USA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
The Blazers enter the season with a wealth of experience as they didn't lose a single runner from to graduation as junior Serena Martinez was the upperclassmen of last year's group. UAB also added six newcomers, five freshmen and one grad transfer in this year's class to round out the roster.
The Blazers concluded the 2018 year in the postseason 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.
UAB will head back to Tenn. for its next meet, competing in the Commodore Classic, hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 14. Meet information and coverage 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).
"We love going to the Memphis Twilight," said coach Esche. "We won the meet two years ago. It's going to be a fun thing. We're going to be able to debut everybody. We don't like to hide when we're racing, so we're going to race everybody right out of the gates. We'll have some freshman getting their first lick of college competition, so it'll be awesome."
The college women's 5k heat will begin at 8:20 p.m. Joining the Blazers in the 17-team women's field are the likes of Alabama, Ole Miss, Middle Tennessee, Southern Miss. and reigning 2018 champion Missouri among others.
Each of the aforementioned SEC teams were ranked to finish in the top half of the conference in the 2019 SEC Cross Country Coaches' Preseason Poll with Alabama coming in at No. 7, Missouri being voted to finish fifth and Ole Miss being projected to finish as high as second in the league. Middle Tennessee and Southern Miss were also picked to finish just ahead of UAB in the 2019 C-USA Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
The Blazers enter the season with a wealth of experience as they didn't lose a single runner from to graduation as junior Serena Martinez was the upperclassmen of last year's group. UAB also added six newcomers, five freshmen and one grad transfer in this year's class to round out the roster.
The Blazers concluded the 2018 year in the postseason 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.
UAB will head back to Tenn. for its next meet, competing in the Commodore Classic, hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. on Sept. 14. Meet information and coverage 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
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