University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Shelby Farms Park Conservancy
Championships Showcase
Oct 29, 2019 | General, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Tigers welcome conference brethren to Memphis for Friday's cross country championships.
NOTE: The Championships Showcase feature first appeared in the Memphis Football GameDay program Oct. 19 when the Tigers hosted Tulane.
It's not as rare as a total solar eclipse (next one in more than 125 years). Or as occasional as a Halley's Comet visit (next one due in 42 years).
"It" is the American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships, and the University of Memphis only gets to host the event once every 10-to-12 years. In 13 days at Shelby Farms Park in east Memphis, the Tigers welcome their league brethren to the Bluff City.
Memphis, under the direction of head coach Kevin Robinson, is hosting its first American Athletic Conference Championships since joining the league in 2013 and its first conference championships race since 2008. The last time before 2008 was in 1998.
"In 2008, I was eight years old so I was in elementary school," said freshman Callie Friske. "I was playing club soccer."
Senior Paige Sandwell recalled, "I was 10 years old, and I was in fifth or sixth grade. I was on the relay team and also did the high jump in track and field, and I don't do that now."
Sophomore Payton Gleason added, "I was in third grade in 2008. I wasn't running at the time, but I was playing soccer so I was in sports."
How about you, Coach?
"I was sitting behind a desk, making sure all the pieces of the puzzle were in place," said Robinson. "It was quite an undertaking."
And what about 1998?
"I was still in college. It was my fifth year," Robinson said. "I was a team captain and one of my roles was to make sure the rest of the team was there to show support. It was a lot of fun."
Senior Gabrielle Byndas said, "That's the year I was born. That's crazy to think about."
The focus now is on 2019, and the Tigers plan to run an event that not only produces a top-notch race but also provides a showcase for the city and University of Memphis.
"Our conference is spread out and diverse that it's rare that we see teams like UConn, SMU or UCF unless it's at the conference race," Robinson said. "This opportunity to bring everybody to Memphis gives us a chance to showcase who we are and what we're about.
"You bring the teams in, and they get to experience the barbecue and other things that make Memphis special. It's going to be a great experience for the other programs to get a taste of the culture of Memphis and the southern hospitality we offer."
Byndas and Sandwell, both running in the fourth championships race of their careers, also believe Memphis is ready to show the conference what makes the city special.
"It will be cool for them to see Memphis is a unique 'spot.' Coming from a big city like Toronto, I love Memphis," said Sandwell. "Memphis has nice attractions, and the sports culture is really good. Shelby Farms is awesome. The little restaurants, the hang-out spots, the waterfront are awesome, and the history is amazing. It will be great for the other teams to see that."
Byndas added, "Now is the perfect time to host this event in Memphis because the city is growing tremendously. Having all the teams in the conference come here and see Memphis, that's kind of special. It's a big deal for Memphis."
The other "big deal" of hosting the event is the race itself. The Tigers are preparing to make runs at the titles, and the Memphis squads also are looking forward to seeing the community's support.
"We're always competing to win, but there's that little something extra when you're protecting your home," said Robinson. "It brings a little more excitement knowing that our championship is going to be at home, and we have the opportunity to step up and perform in front of our fans.
"I hope we have Shelby Farms Park full of Tigers. I want entire community involved. We don't get to host very often, so this is a huge opportunity for us to show off a great facility in Shelby Farms and show Memphis has great fan support – that Memphis is all in."
It's not as rare as a total solar eclipse (next one in more than 125 years). Or as occasional as a Halley's Comet visit (next one due in 42 years).
"It" is the American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships, and the University of Memphis only gets to host the event once every 10-to-12 years. In 13 days at Shelby Farms Park in east Memphis, the Tigers welcome their league brethren to the Bluff City.
Memphis, under the direction of head coach Kevin Robinson, is hosting its first American Athletic Conference Championships since joining the league in 2013 and its first conference championships race since 2008. The last time before 2008 was in 1998.
"In 2008, I was eight years old so I was in elementary school," said freshman Callie Friske. "I was playing club soccer."
Senior Paige Sandwell recalled, "I was 10 years old, and I was in fifth or sixth grade. I was on the relay team and also did the high jump in track and field, and I don't do that now."
Sophomore Payton Gleason added, "I was in third grade in 2008. I wasn't running at the time, but I was playing soccer so I was in sports."
How about you, Coach?
"I was sitting behind a desk, making sure all the pieces of the puzzle were in place," said Robinson. "It was quite an undertaking."
And what about 1998?
"I was still in college. It was my fifth year," Robinson said. "I was a team captain and one of my roles was to make sure the rest of the team was there to show support. It was a lot of fun."
Senior Gabrielle Byndas said, "That's the year I was born. That's crazy to think about."
The focus now is on 2019, and the Tigers plan to run an event that not only produces a top-notch race but also provides a showcase for the city and University of Memphis.
"Our conference is spread out and diverse that it's rare that we see teams like UConn, SMU or UCF unless it's at the conference race," Robinson said. "This opportunity to bring everybody to Memphis gives us a chance to showcase who we are and what we're about.
"You bring the teams in, and they get to experience the barbecue and other things that make Memphis special. It's going to be a great experience for the other programs to get a taste of the culture of Memphis and the southern hospitality we offer."
Byndas and Sandwell, both running in the fourth championships race of their careers, also believe Memphis is ready to show the conference what makes the city special.
"It will be cool for them to see Memphis is a unique 'spot.' Coming from a big city like Toronto, I love Memphis," said Sandwell. "Memphis has nice attractions, and the sports culture is really good. Shelby Farms is awesome. The little restaurants, the hang-out spots, the waterfront are awesome, and the history is amazing. It will be great for the other teams to see that."
Byndas added, "Now is the perfect time to host this event in Memphis because the city is growing tremendously. Having all the teams in the conference come here and see Memphis, that's kind of special. It's a big deal for Memphis."
The other "big deal" of hosting the event is the race itself. The Tigers are preparing to make runs at the titles, and the Memphis squads also are looking forward to seeing the community's support.
"We're always competing to win, but there's that little something extra when you're protecting your home," said Robinson. "It brings a little more excitement knowing that our championship is going to be at home, and we have the opportunity to step up and perform in front of our fans.
"I hope we have Shelby Farms Park full of Tigers. I want entire community involved. We don't get to host very often, so this is a huge opportunity for us to show off a great facility in Shelby Farms and show Memphis has great fan support – that Memphis is all in."
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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