MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama’s cross country team will travel to Monroe, La., Sat., Oct 31, to compete at the Sun Belt Conference Championships, hosted by Louisiana-Monroe. This year, the Jaguar men are ranked No. 6 in the South Region, while the women have improved with each race this season. South Alabama’s men have won the conference championship six times, with their last win in 2006. The women have not won the SBC since 1993. Last season, South Alabama’s men and women finished fifth at the SBC Championships.

The men's 8,000 meter race is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., with the women following at 11 a.m. with their 5,000 meter race.

"The men and women have worked extremely hard in an effort to bring back USA's cross country winning tradition. The depth and quality of talent in the distance has vastly improved,” head coach Paul Brueske said. “The student-athletes and Coach Goldsack deserve a lot credit for this hard work."

The Jaguars return two-time defending SBC champion Micah Tirop, who led the team to a fifth-place finish last season. Tirop will look to become just the second runner in SBC history to win three consecutive titles, since Western Kentucky’s Nicholas Aliwell won from 1994-96. Zac Edwards, a 2008 Southeastern Conference all-freshman selection, will also help lead the Jags Saturday morning. Edwards ran a season-best time (24:59) in the 8K at the 2008 SEC Championship. Also scheduled to compete are junior Saber Salah, sophomore Damien Lee and freshmen Rich Schmitz, Matt Miller, Scott Lasiter and Derrick Rodgers.

“On the individual’s side, there are five runners who have won conference titles, and on any given day any of those student-athletes could win,” USA distance coach Tim Goldsack said. “Our student-athletes are ready and have been looking forward to this weekend all year.”

On the women’s side, the Jags return all-SBC performer Magrina Chepkoech, who finished fifth at the SBC Championships last season with a time of 18:46.17. Freshman Tori Lawson is quickly making a name for herself after three consecutive second-place finishes this season. Jessi Mackie and Kendra Lowe will also compete Saturday, along with sophomore Sasha Corcoran, who returns for her second race of the season after battling injuries. Courtney Kieffer and Jasmine James will also compete for the Jags this weekend.

“Tori, Magrina, and Jessie are all going to run for all-conference spots," Goldsack said. "We need our young student-athletes at the four and five spots on our team to step it up so that we can be ranked higher. We have had great practices over the last two weeks, and we feel like they are ready to go.”

South Alabama’s men will race against two top-ranked teams Saturday morning. Middle Tennessee is ranked No. 8 in the South Region, while UALR ranks seventh in the West Region. The women’s top competitors this weekend will be WKU, ranked eighth in the Southeast Region, along with Middle Tennessee.

“I’m very excited for the men’s race," Goldsack said. "The team race will come down to four teams: UALR, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky and South Alabama. It will be one of the best team battles of the season.”

“I think USA will be competitive and much improved this year at the SBC cross country meet,” USA cross country head coach Paul Brueske said. “I am anxious to see how they perform Saturday."

Looking ahead, the cross country team will take a week off before traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the NCAA South Regional Championships, hosted by Alabama.

Results from the Sun Belt Conference Championships will be posted on the cross country page following Saturday’s events.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

2009 SBC Cross Country Coaches' Predicted Order of Finish

MEN:  1. South Alabama  2. Middle Tennessee  3. UALR  4. WKU  5. North Texas  6. Arkansas State  7. Troy  8. Florida Atlantic           9. Louisiana-Monroe  10. FIU  11. Louisiana-Lafayette

WOMEN:  1. WKU  2. Middle Tennessee  3. Arkansas State  4. North Texas  5. UALR  6. South Alabama  7. Florida Atlantic  8. Troy      9. FIU  10. Louisiana-Lafayette  11. Louisiana-Monroe

-USA-