NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Head coach Steve Keith and his Commodores are ready for postseason competition as the SEC Championships await them at the Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Ala., on Friday, Oct. 26. Vanderbilt will take on three nationally ranked opponents in the championships as No. 20 Arkansas, No. 21 Ole Miss and No. 30 Alabama are predicted by the USTFCCCA to pace the race.
“I like the way our guys have competed and progressed all season and I’m looking for more of the same this Friday at the Southeastern Conference Championships,” said Keith. “I look for Nick (Laning) and Patrick (Perrier) to lead us, but the rest of the guys need to run as a tight group right behind those two.”
Laning has kicked off his collegiate career leading the Commodores in each of the four meets he’s competed in this season. Following the Commodore Classic, Laning became the first men’s cross country student-athlete to garner SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Senior harrier Perrier’s best race of the season came in the highly competitive Louisville Classic. The O’Fallon, Ill., native finished 72nd overall among 252 competitors.
Caleb Casolaro, Matthew Estopinal, Aidan Livingston, Lucas Mowery, Evan Suzman, Harrison Thomas, Caleb Van Geffen and Jason Vincze will join Laning and Perrier in representing the Commodores at the championship event.
The men’s 8K race will begin at 10 a.m., with an awards ceremony following the race. Admission to the 2018 SEC Cross Championships is free and open to the public. A one-hour SEC Cross Country Championships highlight show will air Sunday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
