AU cross-country teams to run in meet in Charlotte, N.C.
Staff report
Augusta University’s men and women’s cross-country teams will be back in action Friday, Oct. 7, at the Royals Invitational in Charlotte, N.C.
After coming off a successful showing at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational a few weeks back, the Jaguars are ready to make their presence known again at what is meant to be a very competitive race indeed.
Both the men and women Jaguars are very expectant when considering their goals for this meet. The Royals Invitational hosted by Queens University is known as one of the fastest courses in the region, so it is certain that athletes have their eyes on new personal bests for their respective distances as well as the desire to put on a good show against strong competition.
“Most of the top ten teams in the Southeast region are to be competing, so I’m really excited to see our men and women go out and compete against the teams that will be our main competition at regionals,” said Jacob Burgamy, coach of the men and women’s program, as he explains the importance of this race to the Jaguars’ season.
One of Burgamy’s male athletes, though, has particular relevance at this meet, considering he has been sidelined this season with some health concerns up until now. Kai Brickey, fifth-year senior and star performer, explains his gratitude of being able to lace up his spikes finally as he puts these past months of obstacles behind him.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Brickey said. “This will be my first 8K of the season as well as my final 8K race of my career. With our plans to race conference tactically, this will be my last genuine race effort for the distance, so it’s a little emotional. At this point, I’m not nervous or anxious to race. I just want to savor and enjoy every step out there as a Jaguar racing by my teammates. These are the times, and I’m sincerely going to miss it.”
On the women’s side, the Jaguars are seeking out stellar performances of their own, aiming to make their presence fully known amongst the top region competitors as well. Cassie Lagan, a junior, and Riley Triplett, a sophomore transfer from Emmanuel College, are both looking for their best times of the season, and neither are willing to compromise on that.
“The anticipation of a course you know is fast can be intimidating or it can be inspiring. I’m choosing the latter. The fact that the Queens meet has been a course where athletes from all over our region have come to run their best efforts no doubt fuels the fire in me to step up to the line and leave it all out on the course,” Triplett said. “This is especially true for me as I look to run my best race knowing that my previous school will also be competing. I’m looking to wear the Augusta ‘A’ on my chest with pride and run a race that honors the journey I’ve endured to be where I am now.”
Cassie Lagan also describes her excitement for this meet after her leading performance at the VA Tech Alumni Invitational back in September. “It will be great to see how well the girls will race with the amount of time and effort put into practice. Coming off the Virginia Tech race, it will be fun and interesting to run another competitive meet at Queens,” Lagan explains.
The Jaguars will be competing on Friday evening in their respective races. The women’s 5-kilometer race will start at 5:05 p.m., followed by the men’s 8-kilometer race at 5:45. Directions to the course and further details can be found at the following website: https://queensathletics.com/documents/2022/5/17/2022_Queens_University_of_Charlotte_XC_Meets_-_Updated_Sept_13.pdf.
