BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University women's cross country will hit the course on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Dothan, Ala. for the 2016 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships. The women's 5k championship race will begin at 11 a.m.
“We look forward to a tough team race with Coastal, the favorite, and South Alabama, the defending champions,” said head coach Michael Curcio. “Both have some very talented up-front runners. We hope that our depth will carry the day for us. We all know that race plans go out the window once the gun goes off. We are trying to mentally prepare the young ladies for a number of different scenarios.”
The women look to move up two spots from their preseason rank (3rd) to win their first-ever Sun Belt championship in cross country this Saturday in Alabama.
The Mountaineers enter the championship race 41-12 placing second at the Covered Bridge Open, first at Mountains to Sea Duals, tenth at the Panorama Farms Invitational, second at the USC Upstate Invitational and second at the HPU VertCross Invitational. So far this season, the women have competed against three nationally ranked programs and ten regionally ranked teams.
App State has competed against two Sun Belt teams this fall and owns a 2-1 record against their conference foes. The Mountaineers fell to Coastal Carolina at the Panorama Farms Invite in their first race against a conference team, but bounced back to beat out Georgia State at the USC Upstate Invitational and rolled over the Chanticleers at their second meeting between Coastal at the HPU VertCross Invite.
In the rankings, the women's squad landed on the USTFCCCA Southeast Regional list twice. Their first appearance came in week two on Sept. 19 where the Mountaineers ranked 15th and their second feature came during week five on Oct. 17 where the women moved up one spot from their 15th-rank to No. 14.
App State's Championship Roster
The Mountaineers that will race in the 2016 cross country championships are Emily Fedders, Phylissa Greeley, Natalie Kile, Kerry Leonard, Torre Moser, Hana Ratcliffe and Tristin Van Ord.
Paced by Van Ord
Leading Appalachian in Dothan will be senior Van Ord who was the fastest Mountaineer in four races and has clocked the fastest 5k time by a Mountaineer so far this season (17:46.20). Van Ord finished third at the Covered Bridge Open, won the Mountains to Sea Duals, placed 19th at the Panorama Farms Invite and posted the second-fastest collegiate time at the HPU VertCross Invitational.
The senior was also awarded Sun Belt Conference Runner of the Week twice on Sept. 2 and Sept. 22, which marks Van Ord's second consecutive year earning two Runner of the Week honors in cross country.
As a Mountaineer, the Chapel Hill native has competed in 18 cross country races garnering three first-place finishes, nine top-5 times, 12 top-10 performances and 17 top-25 efforts. Also, the all-region performer occupies a spot on eight of ten all-times lists in App State history. Of those times, she owns the fastest 5k-effort ever clocked by a Mountaineer (17:02.60) and is responsible for the fastest time ever run by a sophomore in the 5k (17:02.60).
Last Time on the Grass
Appalachian competed in their first 6k race of the season at the HPU VertCross Invitational on Friday, Oct. 14. Van Ord sprinted past the finish line first for the Mountaineers producing the third-fastest time overall and the second-fastest collegiate effort. Her second place finish amongst college runners led the Mountaineers to a second place team finish with 72 points, only two points shy from first. Following Van Ord was Fedders in 13th in her first 6k race as a Mountaineer, Greeley in 22nd, Kile in 23rd and Ratcliffe in 26th.
Taking a Look Back
Last year at the 2015 Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships, App State registered its second-straight second-place showing with 66 team points, 20 points higher than first place South Alabama. Van Ord crossed the tape first for the Black and Gold and defended her silver medal at the 2015 Championships with a time of 17:51.00 to earn First Team All-Sun Belt honors. Rounding out App State's top five runners were Moser in 14th, Ratcliffe in 15th, Dana Cox in 16th and Samantha Campanaro in 19th.
Up Next
Appalachian will compete at the 3 Stripes Invitational in Cary, N.C. hosted by NC State on Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Wake Med Soccer Complex. The women's 5k will kick off at 11:30 a.m.
