Nov. 19, 2015
Event: NCAA Championships
Day, Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
Site: Tom Sawyer State Park (Louisville, Ky.)
Host: University of Louisville
Start Times: 11 a.m. Women’s 6k Championship
Live Results: HERE
Championship Central: HERE
Host Championship Central: HERE
The Vanderbilt women’s cross country team is developing some very healthy habits. Last weekend, the Commodores captured the NCAA South Region championship for the second second year — and this weekend, the team will be Louisville, Ky., to compete in the NCAA Championships for the fifth consecutive season. Here’s a look at this weekend’s meet:
l The skinny on the Commodores: Vanderbilt will enter the national meet with plenty of momentum after winning last weekend’s South Region championship. The Commodores were led once again by SEC Female Freshman of the Year Caroline Pietrzyk, who roared to a second-place overall finish with a time of 20:11.53. Senior Vanessa Valentine also came up huge for Vanderbilt, taking eighth place at 20:31.51. Carmen Carlos was 12th at 20:36.73, Sara Barron was 22nd at 20:56.63 and freshman Sara Tsai was 24th at 21:00.72. … Pietrzyk has paced the Commodores in all six meets this season, including four regular-season races, the SEC Championships and the South Regional. She was one of five Vanderbilt runners to earn All-Region honors, along with Pietrzyk, Valentine, Carlos, Barron and Tsai.
l Scheduled to run for the Vanderbilt women: Reagan Anderson, Sara Barron, Carmen Carlos, Maddie Criscione, Caroline Pietrzyk, Sara Tsai, Vanessa Valentine and Lily Williams.
l Vanderbilt’s history at the national meet: The Commodores are making their fifth consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships — a feat they had never previously accomplished prior to the five-year run. Vanderbilt stormed a program-best sixth-place finish at nationals in 2011 after winning the SEC Championships that same season. Vanderbilt then finished 27th at the NCAA meet for two straight seasons — 2012 and 2013 — before taking 28th place last year. (More on last year’s race below).
l Looking at the field: A total of 31 teams, along with 38 individuals, will form the 255-member field for the national meet. The Commodores will be one of two SEC teams — with Arkansas being the other — representing the conference at the race. The complete field for the women’s race includes: Michigan, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Tulsa, Notre Dame, Boise State, New Mexico, San Francisco, Princeton, Weber State, Stanford, Texas, Virginia, BYU, Oklahoma State, North Carolina St., Minnesota, Colorado, Penn State, Syracuse, Providence, Utah, Michigan State, Kansas, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Arkansas, Washington, Georgetown and Oregon.
l Course History: This year’s meet marks the second time in NCAA history that the Division I cross country championships have been held in the state of Kentucky. (The last time was also in Louisville in 2012). … Louisville is only the second ACC school — and the first in roughly 30 years — to serve as host of the NCAA Championships. Virginia hosted the event in 1987. … In 2012, Sawyer State Park was the site of the closest finish for the top-three runners in NCAA history. In the women’s race, Iowa State’s Betsy Saina (19:27.9) was first, Dartmouth’s Abbey D’Agostino (19:28.7) took runner-up honors and Oregon’s Jordan Hasay (19:28.7) placed third. There was only 0.7 seconds separating the national champion from third-place finisher.
l Looking back to last year: One week after capturing their first-ever South Region title, the Commodores finished 28th at last year’s NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Indiana. Michigan State won the NCAA title with 85 points, followed by Iowa State (147) and New Mexico (188). Kate Avery, of Iona, was the individual champion with a time of 19:31.60. Carmen Carlos was Vanderbilt’s top finisher, posting a time of 21:16.60. Two Vanderbilt seniors — Claire Benjamin and Amira Joseph — were the next two Commodores across the line. Benjamin finished at 21:43.30 and Joseph, who was competing at nationals for the fourth consecutive year, posted a time of 21:43.30. Sara Barron (21.44.20) and senior Rebecca Chandler (21:47.10) rounded out the top-5 for the Commodores.
l Quoting the coaches:
Head coach Steve Keith
On the momentum his team will carry into the meet after winning the Region title last week.
“Winning championships is talked about at team camp the beginning of the year and, of course, it’s always nice to follow through. That never gets old!”
On his team being able to block out any distractions at a national event.
“By this point in the season everyone is a veteran, freshmen included. We’ll focus on what we can control and take it from there knowing that we gave 100 percent.”
Associate head coach Rhonda Riley
On the team’s confidence level this weekend after repeating as South Region champs.
“The regional meet was great in terms of the women executing their race plan and helping them feel the power of running as a pack. They all walked away excited and know they still have more left.”
On the potential pressure brought on by entering the meet after winning a title.
“The women don’t feel pressure at all. They are more excited then anything and understand what’s at stake. They are looking forward to putting everything together one last time.”
On the unflappable nature of the Vanderbilt freshman.
The freshmen are going into this race prepared for anything. They don’t have to do anything differently than they have done all season. They are confident and excited!
