Liberty Men's, Women's XC Both Ranked Among Region's Top 10
10/21/2019 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
For the first time this season, both Liberty cross country teams are ranked among the Southeast Region's top 10, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The Lady Flames remain in the region's No. 9 position, while the Flames climb from No. 13 to a season-best No. 10 after a strong showing at Saturday's Pre-National Invitational.
The Lady Flames match their best-ever regional ranking for another week thanks to a 22nd-place showing in the 37-team Pre-National Invitational blue (seeded) race. Liberty was once again led by freshman Adelyn Ackley, who placed 15th overall with a personal-best 6K time of 20:33.3.
On the men's side, Liberty placed 20th of 38 squads in the blue (seeded) race, topping regional foes Duke, Louisville and Kentucky. Felix Kandie (27th place, 24:06.1) and Ryan Drew (58th, 24:30.3) paced four Flames who set 8K personal-best times on Saturday.
The Flames' next stop will be the Buckingham Course in Fort Myers, Fla., for the 2019 ASUN Cross Country Championships. The meet will be contested Nov. 2 with the men's 8K scheduled for 8:30 a.m. and the women's 5K to follow at 9:30.
Both Liberty teams will face a pair of regionally-ranked foes in Fort Myers. The defending champion North Florida men's team is listed No. 9 in the South Region, while Lipscomb checks in at No. 11.
In the women's South Region poll, defending champion Lipscomb (who Liberty defeated at the Pre-National Invitational) is ranked No. 11 and North Florida follows at No. 14.
USTFCCCA Women's Cross Country Southeast Region Rankings
1) NC State
2) Furman
3) Virginia Tech
4) Duke
5) Wake Forest
6) North Carolina
7) Elon
8) Kentucky
9) Liberty
10) Virginia
11) High Point
12) Clemson
13) Eastern Kentucky
14) Louisville
15) William & Mary
USTFCCCA Men's Cross Country Southeast Region Rankings
1) Virginia
2) NC State
3) Virginia Tech
4) Eastern Kentucky
5) Furman
6) Campbell
7) North Carolina
8) Charlotte
9) Duke
10) Liberty
11) Wake Forest
12) Louisville
13) Appalachian State
14) Kentucky
15) William & Mary