CSU Cross-Country Teams Hoping to Duplicate Recent Success at NCAA Regional

Columbus, GA - As his Columbus State University cross-country squads boarded the bus on Thursday to head for Wingate, NC, head coach J.D. Evilsizer was hoping his squads can continue to duplicate their recent performances on a larger stage. The two squads will compete with the top teams from the Southeast Region on Saturday morning with berths in the NCAA Cross-Country Championships in Evansville, Indiana, on the line.

The CSU men and women are coming off convincing wins at the Peach Belt Conference Championships two weeks ago and hope to keep their string of strong performances going. They will have to deal with a strong field headed by Queens University of Charlotte, the top ranked team in the region for both men and women. Queens finished sixth in the men's nationals last year and are the odds-on favorite to win the regional meet in both races.

"If we can produce the kind of results we did at the conference meet, then we have a chance to advance," said Evilsizer. "Anything else and our season may end on Saturday."

The top three men's teams and top two women's teams advance to the NCAA Championships. The top individual on a non-qualifying team also advances, or any runner finishing in the top five from a non-qualifying school.

The CSU men will once again look to PBC Co-Runner of the Year Meshack Koyiaki to lead them to a top finish. Koyiaki has won every race he has entered this season and hopes to repeat that feat on Saturday. Running mate Nichola Kering has finished as runner-up to Koyiaki twice and then third in the PBC Championship and will also be a strong contender. Stewart Helton, David Marley and John Neill each posted top-10 finishes in the PBC meet, earning All-Conference honors and give CSU a strong overall team for the regional meet.

"Our preparation has gone well and the team is about as healthy as it can be with no one sick or injured. Everything points to us having a good performance, but you just never know until you see the course and the competition. There is always an unknown with cross-country in that respect," said Evilsizer.

In addition to Queens, CSU will face tough opposition from Mars Hill, Clayton State and UNC Pembroke.

The CSU women won their fifth straight PBC title behind the strong running of Naomi Tanui and Brittney Skiles. Tanui won the PBC Championship handily with Skiles second, and has won her last two starts. Freshman Kelli Arnold finished fourth in the meet and older sister Ashley finished sixth. That gives CSU some confidence heading into Saturday.

"Our women have been having really good workouts and they are as healthy as they have been all year heading into this one," Evilsizer said. "They shocked me with how well they ran at conference and I would love to be shocked again on Saturday at Regional."

CSU expects stiff competition from Queens and Lenoir-Rhyne, as well as from PBC foes GCSU and Clayton State.

Evilsizer is hopeful and cautiously optimistic about the chances of his two squads on Saturday. "Looking at our times, it seems like we are right there with everyone as far as the competition goes, but in this sport you just don't know what sort of courses these teams have run and what kind of course we will run in this meet. I sure would love for our season to last for two more weeks after this one."