University of Memphis Athletics
Friday, November 11
Tallahassee, Fla.
7:30 am
University of Memphis
vs
NCAA South Regional Championships
Photo by: Steve Austell
Tigers Women's Cross Country To Run In South Region Friday
Nov 10, 2016 | Women's Cross Country
Memphis travels to Tallahassee, Fla., for the NCAA race.
NCAA South Region Championships/Live Results
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis women's cross country squad has had a season for the ages in 2016, and it's not over yet. On Friday morning, the Tigers join 35 other women's teams at the 2016 NCAA South Region Championships in Tallahassee, Fla.
Apalachee Regional Park is hosting the NCAA South Region Championships for the third time in the past five years. Friday's women's 6k race starts at 7:30 a.m. (CT).
The 2016 Tigers' campaign has been nothing short of stellar. Earlier this fall, Memphis earned its first regional ranking in program history and was in the regional poll for five-straight weeks. The Tigers enter Friday's race ranked No. 7 in the most recent United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA)/NCAA Division I South Region poll, which was released Nov. 1.
Furthermore, Memphis recorded its best performance at a conference championships meet with its third-place team finish at the Oct. 29 American Athletic Conference Championships.
For the season, the third-place showing at The American Championships was Memphis' fifth top-10 finish out of six races. Included in those five top-10 finishes were first-place performances at the Rhodes College and Austin Peay invitationals. It is the first time the women's program won two invitationals in the same season since 1990.
It's the 2016 squad's competitive drive that has head coach Kevin Robinson excited to see what the Tigers can do in Friday's region championships.
"The team is coming off its best conference finish and also has its highest regional ranking in program history," said Robinson. "This team is excited and motivated, and we're doing great things.
"We're anxious to see where we stack up in this region. Without having raced a lot of these teams head-to-head this fall, it's really tough to know how we match up."
While Memphis may not have a feel for who it faces Friday, the Tigers do know what they have, and it's the 1-2 punch of senior Martina Rodriguez Sala and junior Chelsea Ladd. Both had top-five finishes at The American Championships, with Rodriguez Sala third and Ladd fourth. For their performances, both earned All-American Athletic Conference honors, and it marked the first time Memphis had two female runners receive all-league distinction in the same season.
"Martina has been phenomenal, and you can't take anything away from what she's done for this program," Robinson said. "But, you also can't say enough about Chelsea. She is one of those grinders who's gotten better week-to-week and season-to-season.
"Now, Chelsea's put herself in a position where she is right there among the top runners each race. She works hard and has a great attitude. She's incredibly driven, incredibly motivated, and you can see that in her performances."
The Tigers' front tandem receive solid support from the team's other runners, including Arnica Zitting and Bailey Kennemer. Both have consistently finished among the team's top-five finishers the entire season.
"The rest of the team also has stepped up," said Robinson. "The culture within this group is a lot different from past seasons. They're more motivated, and they realize what's at stake. The cohesiveness and unity among this group is really special. It's been fun to see this build over the last couple of years."
On Friday, the NCAA South Region Championships top-two team finishers automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, which are set for Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. Also, the top-four individual finishers not on the team automatic qualifiers advanced to the national championships meet.
"Florida State does a great job hosting this event," Robinson said. "The course is well-manicured and beautiful. The course runs fast and quick. We just have to be ready to compete."
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis women's cross country squad has had a season for the ages in 2016, and it's not over yet. On Friday morning, the Tigers join 35 other women's teams at the 2016 NCAA South Region Championships in Tallahassee, Fla.
Apalachee Regional Park is hosting the NCAA South Region Championships for the third time in the past five years. Friday's women's 6k race starts at 7:30 a.m. (CT).
The 2016 Tigers' campaign has been nothing short of stellar. Earlier this fall, Memphis earned its first regional ranking in program history and was in the regional poll for five-straight weeks. The Tigers enter Friday's race ranked No. 7 in the most recent United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA)/NCAA Division I South Region poll, which was released Nov. 1.
Furthermore, Memphis recorded its best performance at a conference championships meet with its third-place team finish at the Oct. 29 American Athletic Conference Championships.
For the season, the third-place showing at The American Championships was Memphis' fifth top-10 finish out of six races. Included in those five top-10 finishes were first-place performances at the Rhodes College and Austin Peay invitationals. It is the first time the women's program won two invitationals in the same season since 1990.
It's the 2016 squad's competitive drive that has head coach Kevin Robinson excited to see what the Tigers can do in Friday's region championships.
"The team is coming off its best conference finish and also has its highest regional ranking in program history," said Robinson. "This team is excited and motivated, and we're doing great things.
"We're anxious to see where we stack up in this region. Without having raced a lot of these teams head-to-head this fall, it's really tough to know how we match up."
While Memphis may not have a feel for who it faces Friday, the Tigers do know what they have, and it's the 1-2 punch of senior Martina Rodriguez Sala and junior Chelsea Ladd. Both had top-five finishes at The American Championships, with Rodriguez Sala third and Ladd fourth. For their performances, both earned All-American Athletic Conference honors, and it marked the first time Memphis had two female runners receive all-league distinction in the same season.
"Martina has been phenomenal, and you can't take anything away from what she's done for this program," Robinson said. "But, you also can't say enough about Chelsea. She is one of those grinders who's gotten better week-to-week and season-to-season.
"Now, Chelsea's put herself in a position where she is right there among the top runners each race. She works hard and has a great attitude. She's incredibly driven, incredibly motivated, and you can see that in her performances."
The Tigers' front tandem receive solid support from the team's other runners, including Arnica Zitting and Bailey Kennemer. Both have consistently finished among the team's top-five finishers the entire season.
"The rest of the team also has stepped up," said Robinson. "The culture within this group is a lot different from past seasons. They're more motivated, and they realize what's at stake. The cohesiveness and unity among this group is really special. It's been fun to see this build over the last couple of years."
On Friday, the NCAA South Region Championships top-two team finishers automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, which are set for Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. Also, the top-four individual finishers not on the team automatic qualifiers advanced to the national championships meet.
"Florida State does a great job hosting this event," Robinson said. "The course is well-manicured and beautiful. The course runs fast and quick. We just have to be ready to compete."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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