OU XC Returns to the NCAA Championships
NORMAN, Okla.— The No. 6 University of Oklahoma men’s cross country team is set to compete at the 2010 Championships on Monday, Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind. hosted by Indiana State University, the men will race at 11:48 a.m. CT on the 10,000 meter LaVern Gibson Championship Course.
Oklahoma returns to the Championships for the second year in a row and the second time in program history under the current format. Currently ranked No. 6 by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the Sooners began the season ranked No. 12 and were ranked as high as fifth in October.
Oklahoma qualified for the Championships last Saturday by winning the program’s first ever Midwest Regional title. OU finished ahead of in-state rival and then No. 1 Oklahoma State to win 43-50. All five scoring runners earned All-Midwest Region honors in route to the title with OU’s top finisher Kevin Schwab placing second overall. All five scoring runners placed in the top 15, including three in the top 10.
Slated to compete for OU at the Championships is Schwab, Rob Sorrell, George Alex, Bill Kogel, Kevin Williams, Jacob Boone and Aaron Sherf. The Sooners return experience to the meet as Schwab, Sorrell, Kogel and Williams competed at the Championships in 2009.
The Sooners have already seen success on the Lavern Gibson course, as OU earned a program best finish 12th at the 2009 Championships and this season won the Pre-Nationals race against some of the top teams in the country, including nine of the team’s in Monday’s final.
The field of 31 includes the top 30 teams in the nation plus unranked Virginia. Of the 30 ranked teams, Oklahoma has bested 11 of them this season, including top ten teams No. 2 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Colorado.
The first-place finisher will be crowned the 2010 Champion and first 40 runners to cross the finish line will be named All-Americans.
A live webcast of the championships will be broadcast from 11 to 12:30 p.m. CT, Monday Nov. 22 on .com. Highlights from the championships will be included as part of the Fall Seasonal Show scheduled to air on Saturday Dec. 18 from 11 to 1 p.m. on HD.
Complete results and a full recap of the 2010 Championships will be available on SoonerSports.com shortly after the events conclusion.
Updated 11-20-2010
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