Emory Cross Country Teams Eye UAA Championships

Emory Cross Country Teams Eye UAA Championships

UAA Cross Country Championships Website

The Emory University men's and women's country teams return to action on Sunday (Oct. 28) when they compete in the 32nd Annual University Athletic Association Cross Country Championships.  The competition will be held at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course in Somers, Wisconsin.  The women's 6K race begins at 11:00 am (CDT), and will be followed by the men's 8k competition at noon.

Both races will feature some of the top talent in the Division III ranks with six men’s programs and seven women’s teams garnering recognition in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 35 Poll.  

On the men’s side, the Eagles hold down the No. 31 spot nationally while other ranked programs include No. 2 Washington University, winners of seven of the past eight crowns, No. 12 Carnegie Mellon, No. 18 Chicago, No. 30 Case Western and No. 34 New York University.

Junior Sam Branson and sophomore Jack Whetstone have scored for the Eagles in all four of their outings this fall, with Branson placing as the team’s top performer on two occasions while Whetstone paced the Emory pack at the at the Pre-National Meet (Oct. 13) in Lake Winneconne, Wisconsin.  Sophomore Matt Dillon is a four-time scorer for the Eagles while senior Bennett Shaw has figured into the team’s scoring on three occasions. Last year, the men posted a third-place performance.

The Emory women’s team is slotted 17th in the national poll and is joined by No. 2 and four-time defending league champion Washington University, No. 8 Brandeis, No. 12 Chicago, No. 18 Rochester, No, 25 Carnegie Mellon and No. 32 Case Western Reserve.  Senior Kaylee Slade has been the squad’s mainstay this fall, ranking as its top runner in all four of her meets. Sophomores Carrie McIntyre and Susie Martin have been consistent as well with both runners scoring in all four of their competitions.  Last season, the Eagles registered a third-place finish.