The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels Host SEC Cross Country Championships Saturday
10/31/2009 | Track and Field
It marks the first time since 1996 that Ole Miss has hosted the prestigious event.
The men will open the event with an 8k race, while the women will follow at 11 a.m. with a 6k run.
"We are excited to have the SEC Championships in Oxford this year," Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker said. "It is one of the finest cross country meets in the USA, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to be able to host such an exciting event."
Ole Miss junior Barnabas Kirui is the top runner for the men's team and is expected to contend for the individual title. Kirui is ranked fifth in the SEC in the 8k this season after posting a top time of 23:52.42 at the Greater Louisville Classic. Lane Boyer holds the top 8k time in the SEC this season with a mark of 23:23.05.
Saturday marks the first time Kirui has competed in the SEC Cross Country Championships since winning the event in 2006. He captured the 2006 title with a time of 23:53.24 to become the first freshman in school history to win the SEC championship. Kirui has missed the last two SEC championships and the majority of the last two seasons due to injury.
"I think everyone is happy and anxious to see Barnabas compete this weekend," Walker said. It's so great to have him back healthy and running well again. We think he has a great chance at winning a second SEC individual cross country title."
Kirui is just the second Rebel to school history to win an SEC individual cross country title. He joins for Ole Miss All-American Pablo Sierra, who captured the title in 1992. Another former Rebel standout, Bernard Kuria, finished in seventh place overall at the 1996 championships and went on to compete at the NCAA Championships.
Kirui, Sierra and Kuria are the only three Rebels in school history to participate in the NCAA Championships. Both Sierra and Kuria currently reside in Oxford and are expected to be in attendance Saturday morning.
On the women's side, the Rebels are expected to be led by sophomore Logan Waites. Waites has finished in first place for Ole Miss in every meet in which she has competed since arriving in Oxford last year.
Last season, Waites posted a personal best 6k time of 22:34.64 at the SEC championships in Starkville, Miss. She went on to finish in 49th place to mark the highest individual finish by a Rebel since Shannon Chandler took 39th place in 2004.
Saturday will also mark the final meet in the careers of senior Gabriel Ngwiri and Anna Adams.
"Gabriel and Anna have meant so much to our cross country program," Walker said. "We couldn't be happier that these two will have the opportunity to run the final meet of their careers in front of our fans."
Following the meet, there will be an awards ceremony to recognize both the team and individual winners.
As part of the "Rebel Reruns" service project, fans are asked to donate gently used running shoes, cleats and spikes at the meet to assists those less fortunate in Kenya. Visiting SEC student-athletes have also been asked to bring shoes.