University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, November 19
Stillwater, Okla.
10 AM
North Carolina
vs
NCAA Championships
Cross Country Aiming For Strong Finish In NCAA Championships Saturday
November 18, 2022 | Cross Country
The University of North Carolina men's and women's cross country teams will conclude one their finest seasons in recent memory on Saturday when they race at the 2022 NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Okla.
The Tar Heels earned automatic berths in the national meet by virtue of their strong performances at the NCAA Southeast Regional last weekend in Louisville, Ky., where the men finished first and the women were second. The men's finish was its best on record. The top two teams and the first four finishers in each race not associated with those two teams advance to the NCAA Championships.
Parker Wolfe led the men with a second-place finish, completing the 10K race in 29:44.6, less than two seconds behind winner Nickolas Scudder of Charlotte. Carolina had five top-24 finishers: Wolfe (2nd), Patrick Anderson (sixth in 29:59.1), Will Coogan (14th in 30:05.5), John Tatter (15th in 30:06.5) and Marshall Williamson (24th in 30:14.9). All five earn NCAA All-Region honors.
In the 6K women's race, the Tar Heels put all seven athletes in the Top 30 as five earned All-Region honors: Kelsey Harrington (eighth place in 20:12.9), Brynn Brown (11th in 20:24.7), Fatima Alanis (17th in 20:38.4), Eva Klingbeil (18th in 20:39.0) and Sasha Neglia (22nd in 20:40.2). Taryn Parks was 27th in 20:48.6 and Carlee Hansen was 28th in 20:48.8.Â
The Carolina men won the NCAA Southeast Regional for the first time since at least 1980 (available UNC records begin in 1980). The previous best finish by the UNC men was third on three occasions (2014, 1991 and 1985).
The women's second-place finish is their second in a row after also finishing second in 2021.Â
A year ago the Tar Heel men finished third at NCAA regionals and went on to finish 18th a week later at the NCAA Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. The Carolina women were second at regionals and 14th at the NCAA meet.
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Chris Miltenberg's men's squad and Dylan Sorensen's women's team both have excelled in 2022 behind balanced excellence up and down both rosters.
The men's team won its first three races of the season, winning at the 5K Charlotte Opener, the 6K Coaching Tree Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., and the 6K Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa. Led by silver medalist Wolfe, the men took third place at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in late October. Anderson (15th-place finish at ACCs) and Tatter (16th) joined Wolfe in earning All-ACC honors for their performances at the conference meet.
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The women also started the season with three consecutive wins, dominating the Charlotte Opener by taking the top four spots and seven of the top eight. Brown was Carolina's top finisher at both the 6K Coaching Tree Invitational and the 6K Paul Short Run, leading the women to team wins in both events. Harrington (11th place at the ACC meet), Fatima Alanis (20th) and Neglia (21st) all earned All-ACC honors in leading the women to a fourth-place overall finish in the ACC.
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The level of competition will increase on Friday when both squads head to Louisville for the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship. The women's 6K race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., followed by the men's 10K race at noon.
The top two teams and the first four finishers in the race not associated with those two teams will advance to the NCAA Championships, to be held on Nov. 19 in Stillwater, Okla.
Follow along with live results, and check @unctrack_field on Twitter for the latest updates throughout the day on Friday.
The Tar Heels earned automatic berths in the national meet by virtue of their strong performances at the NCAA Southeast Regional last weekend in Louisville, Ky., where the men finished first and the women were second. The men's finish was its best on record. The top two teams and the first four finishers in each race not associated with those two teams advance to the NCAA Championships.
Parker Wolfe led the men with a second-place finish, completing the 10K race in 29:44.6, less than two seconds behind winner Nickolas Scudder of Charlotte. Carolina had five top-24 finishers: Wolfe (2nd), Patrick Anderson (sixth in 29:59.1), Will Coogan (14th in 30:05.5), John Tatter (15th in 30:06.5) and Marshall Williamson (24th in 30:14.9). All five earn NCAA All-Region honors.
In the 6K women's race, the Tar Heels put all seven athletes in the Top 30 as five earned All-Region honors: Kelsey Harrington (eighth place in 20:12.9), Brynn Brown (11th in 20:24.7), Fatima Alanis (17th in 20:38.4), Eva Klingbeil (18th in 20:39.0) and Sasha Neglia (22nd in 20:40.2). Taryn Parks was 27th in 20:48.6 and Carlee Hansen was 28th in 20:48.8.Â
The Carolina men won the NCAA Southeast Regional for the first time since at least 1980 (available UNC records begin in 1980). The previous best finish by the UNC men was third on three occasions (2014, 1991 and 1985).
The women's second-place finish is their second in a row after also finishing second in 2021.Â
A year ago the Tar Heel men finished third at NCAA regionals and went on to finish 18th a week later at the NCAA Championships in Tallahassee, Fla. The Carolina women were second at regionals and 14th at the NCAA meet.
Â
Chris Miltenberg's men's squad and Dylan Sorensen's women's team both have excelled in 2022 behind balanced excellence up and down both rosters.
The men's team won its first three races of the season, winning at the 5K Charlotte Opener, the 6K Coaching Tree Invitational in Bloomington, Ind., and the 6K Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa. Led by silver medalist Wolfe, the men took third place at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in late October. Anderson (15th-place finish at ACCs) and Tatter (16th) joined Wolfe in earning All-ACC honors for their performances at the conference meet.
Â
The women also started the season with three consecutive wins, dominating the Charlotte Opener by taking the top four spots and seven of the top eight. Brown was Carolina's top finisher at both the 6K Coaching Tree Invitational and the 6K Paul Short Run, leading the women to team wins in both events. Harrington (11th place at the ACC meet), Fatima Alanis (20th) and Neglia (21st) all earned All-ACC honors in leading the women to a fourth-place overall finish in the ACC.
Â
The level of competition will increase on Friday when both squads head to Louisville for the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship. The women's 6K race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., followed by the men's 10K race at noon.
The top two teams and the first four finishers in the race not associated with those two teams will advance to the NCAA Championships, to be held on Nov. 19 in Stillwater, Okla.
Follow along with live results, and check @unctrack_field on Twitter for the latest updates throughout the day on Friday.
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