Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Cross Country Announces 2015 Schedule
6/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
BOCA RATON, Fla. -
The Florida Atlantic University men's and women's cross country teams have announced their schedule for the 2015 season.
The season begins with the second annual FAU Cross Country Invitational on Friday, September 4. The Conference USA Cross Country Championship will be held in Bowling Green, Ky. on October 31. The team will finish the season at the NCAA South Regionals on Friday, November 13 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The six regular season meets will all take place in Florida. Following the season opener at home, FAU will head to Orlando for the UCF Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 12. Gainesville is the next stop as the Owls take part in the Gator Cross Country Invitational hosted by the University of Florida on Saturday, September 19. The next meet is the FSU Invitational on Friday, October 2. The Owls will travel back to Orlando for the Disney Cross Country Invite on Friday, October 10 and close the season at the USF Collegiate Invitational on Friday, October 16.
At the 2014 C-USA Cross Country Championship, the women finished one spot higher than in 2013, coming in ninth place out of 13 teams with a total of 200 points. The Owls posted their lowest 5k team average at a conference meet in school history with a time of 18:31.1. FAU also had seven runners compete at NCAA South Regionals.
"We are excited to host our second home invitational and look forward to having more teams participate this year," said Alex Smolka, head cross country and track and field coach. "Once again, the schedule is built with our ultimate goal in mind, which is to peak at the end of October in time for the conference championship."
A number of top female performers will be returning to FAU's roster. To conclude her freshman season, Liz Wellman was the top finisher at the C-USA Cross Country Championship coming in 30th with a career-best time of 18:11.8. This put her in seventh place on FAU's All-Time Top 10 List. Wellman took the top spot again at NCAA South Regionals capturing the fifth best time in school history in the 6k (22:05.81#).
Returning seniors include Kimberly Jones, Kia Heller-Spencer and Chloe Sell. Jones placed 13th at the Westminster Collegiate Invitational and ran a season-low 20:46.66 in the 5k at the UF Mountain Dew Invitational. Spencer set a personal record in the 5k at the C-USA Championship coming in 46th with a time of 18:40.0 and competed at NCAA regionals. Despite missing the conference championship and the NCAA South Regional due to injury, Sell was a two-time C-USA Female Cross Country Athlete of the Week in 2014. She helped lead the team to a second place finish at the Disney Cross Country Classic in which she took fourth out of 250 runners with a time of 18:11.37.
"For the first team in many years, we have a larger senior class that I believe will help our numerous freshman grow and develop," said Smolka. "Having been in the program the past three years, we fully expect our senior class to play a significant role in our success this season."
The men's team finished in 11th place at the C-USA Cross Country Championship with 306 total points and a team average time of 28:06.4. The Owls had five runners compete at the NCAA South Regional.
After redshirting for the 2014, Michael Vidal will be one of two seniors leading the men in 2015. Vidal is the current university record holder in the 10k with a time of 32:50.80, which he set during the 2012 season. He finished the 2013 cross country season with the fourth-best time in FAU history in the 5k with a final time of 16:13.19.
After an injury-ridden 2014, Christian Small will finish his senior season for the Owls. Last year he competed in the 8k at the UF Mountain Dew Invitational and had a final time of 29:05.98.
"Under the leadership of two seniors, we expect our freshman to transition to collegiate racing very smoothly," said Smolka.
For the full 2015 schedule, please click here.
