COLLEGE STATION - Texas A&M will play host to the Big 12 Cross Country Championships this Saturday at the Pebble Creek Country Club. The conference meet, which will feature seven nationally ranked teams, begins at 10 a.m. with the men's race over an 8,000-meter course and 11 a.m. with the women's 6,000-meter race. The event is free to attend.
The Big 12 field includes seven nationally ranked teams, including the No. 1 Oklahoma State men, who have won the past two NCAA Championships in cross country. Texas A&M, ranked No. 24, is one of four men's teams nationally ranked while three women's teams nationally ranked in the top 30.
"This will be a great opportunity for our community to come out and see some of the best distance runners in the country," Texas A&M head coach Pat Henry said. "Cross country is one of the largest participant sports within the NCAA so the competition is tremendous. Community support for this group of athletes is appreciated."
"We want to thank Pebble Creek Country Club for being very gracious in allowing us to use their facility to run the last Big 12 Cross Country Championship meet to be held here at Texas A&M. It will be a great venue for the athletes as well as for the spectators to watch the competition."
Texas A&M will have improved squads competing in the home conference meet over the Aggie teams that each placed ninth in the Big 12 a year ago. A majority of the men's and women's team returns with experience from the conference meet they competed in a year ago.
"Both of our teams are heading in the right direction," A&M assistant coach Wendel McRaven said. "The men have raced well in the month of October and gained a little national respect while our focus has really been on training. This bodes well for this weekend and the weeks ahead. The women are starting to come together. They are looking better and better each week and I expect that trend to continue."
For the Aggie men the addition of NJCAA champion Henry Lelei has resulted in A&M defeating 10 nationally ranked teams in its last two competitions - four at Notre Dame and six at Wisconsin. As a result the Aggies are nationally ranked for the first time since 2008, a year in which the A&M men placed fourth in the Big 12 Championships.
Supporting Lelei is a group of Aggies who have recorded tight pack finishes to assist in the team scoring. Kevin Burnett has been the second runner for A&M in his two races while the next trio to complete the scoring five has consisted of Will Barry, Stephen Curry, James Hodges, MacLean O'Donnell and Isaac Spencer.
The Aggie women have recorded solid efforts in contending with nationally-ranked fields. Katherine Devlin led the team in a couple of meets this season when racing over 4,000 and 5,000 meters. Recently Natosha Rogers was the top Aggie finisher at the Wisconsin meet over a 6,000-meter course, which was her first race of the season.
In addition the group who has been part of the scoring five in the two recent meets for the A&M women consists of Itzel Cetina, Tara Upshaw, Hillary Montgomery and Haley Parsons.
"We're looking forward to a great weekend," noted McRaven. "We are excited to be hosting the meet and get a chance to compete at home. After traveling around the country for our last two meets it is going to be nice to sleep in our own beds and stick with a more normal routine. Plus, it makes it easier for friends, family, and classmates to come out and support the team."
CONFERENCE MEET FEATURES RETURNING CHAMPIONS
Oklahoma State men and the Texas Tech women enter the Big 12 Championships as three-time defending champions.
In addition, both teams return individual champions. The Cowboys have a pair of individual champions in German Fernandez (2008) and Girma Mecheso (2010) while the Red Raiders return 2010 champion Rose Tanui, who also placed fifth at the NCAA Championships.
Oklahoma State, who has won the past two NCAA Championship team titles, is ranked No. 1 in the nation this season. Other conference teams among the top 30 include No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 11 Texas and No. 24 Texas A&M.
Texas Tech's women, who have placed fourth and third at the NCAA Championships the past two seasons, are currently receiving votes to be included among the top 30 nationally ranked teams. The top ranked Big 12 women's teams entering the conference championship is No. 12 Texas and No. 13 Iowa State along with No. 30 Oklahoma State.
PEBBLE CREEK COUNTRY CLUB
The country club at Pebble Creek is located at 4500 Pebble Creek Parkway in College Station. From Highway 6, head east four miles on William Fitch Parkway (Hwy 40) until you see the entrance for Pebble Creek, take a right onto Pebble Creek Parkway. After half a mile take a left onto Champions Road for the parking lot at Pebble Creek Country Club.