FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State University men’s and women’s cross country teams will return to the course this weekend when they travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the 2016 NCAA Central Region Championships. Saturday’s festivities are being hosted by Augustana University at Yankton Trail Park. The men’s 10-kilometer race will begin at 10 a.m. with the women’s six-kilometer race following at 11:15 a.m.
The top four teams in both the men’s and women’s races will automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, held in St. Leo, Fla. on Saturday, November 19. In addition, the top three individuals who are not part of a qualifying team will qualify for the National Championships. Finally, all individuals finishing in the top five and are not part of the qualifying team will also advance to the national race.
The women’s team currently sits in eighth in the Central Region, as listed in the latest USTFCCCA regional rankings. After being ranked 17th in the national poll before the conference meet, the Tigers are unranked heading into the regional championship. Four Tiger runners earned All-MIAA accolades at the conference championships (10/22), led by a second-place finish from junior Shea Bonine. Micki Krzesinski, Chelsea Jackson, and Sophie Dalmasso earned All-MIAA honorable mention status for finishing in the top-20.
The Fort Hays State men’s team enters the race ranked 10th in the latest Central Region rankings. The Tigers finished fourth at the MIAA Championships two weeks ago, led by a ninth-place finish from Troy Wineinger who earned All-MIAA honors. This will be the first time the Tigers compete in a 10-kilometer race this season.