Jaguar XC men hope to return to nationals; women building on PBC success
Staff report
The Augusta University men and women’s cross-country teams are back on the road this weekend as the travel to compete in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship in Wingate, N.C.
Hosted by Wingate University, the races will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19, with the men’s 10-kilometer race beginning at 10 a.m. and the women’s 6K race following at 11:15 a.m.
The AU men are entering this race ranked second in the region with the women ranked eighth. Both teams come into this meet off strong performances at the Peach Belt Conference Championship on Nov. 3 where the men won their fourth title in a row and the women took third behind Flagler and North Georgia.
The regional meet offers both teams the opportunity to aim for that coveted goal of qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championship that will take place in Seattle on Dec. 3.
The excitement is building as the teams prepare mentally for this big race. First-year AU Coach Jacob Burgamy is expectant for both teams and their races this weekend. He knows what is at stake, but he also knows that his athletes have been training all year and are ready for what lies ahead.
“For the men, I’m really excited to see them finally get a shot at redemption after missing nationals last year by one point,” said Burgamy. “I’m very confident in our men’s team’s ability to qualify for nationals, but we’ve had to balance that confidence with the fact that we can’t go into it underestimating the teams ranked just below us like they may have in the past. I think even on a less than stellar day we should be second in the region, but we also know that we have a big target on our backs, and we have to be ready for everyone’s best race.”
On the men’s side, seniors Kai Brickey and Hans Troyer will be leading the team’s pack as they are in the mix with the other competitors of the field for all-region honors. Brickey won the Peach Belt Conference championship for the second year in a row two weeks back at Beech Island, S.C., and was the only AU runner to make the nationals last season after the Jaguar team just missed the nationals.
As Augusta displayed so effortlessly at the Peach Belt Conference Championship by perfectly scoring the race with 15 points, the pack running scheme that the Jaguars consistently utilize will also include Avery Jaynes, Thomas Rischar, Patrick Motes, Carlos Rodriguez and Andrew Todd.
“Obviously, emotions are running high headed into the race, and I am going to treasure my time spent with teammates this weekend,” Troyer explained. “I’ve been soaking up this whole season emotionally and it has helped a lot to allow me to be content on the idea of my career coming to a close. We are looking to turn some heads and make a splash in the national rankings after our performance this weekend.”
For the Jaguar women, there is a strong lineup of women looking for a competitive race on Saturday. Coming off of the conference championship, Cassie Lagan looks to lead the women as she finished second with Riley Triplett behind her in fourth in the PBCs. The rest of the women to compete include Haley Gilbert, Madison Kennedy, Grace Gyetko, Caroline Pierce and Julia Masino.
The women’s journey to qualifying for nationals will prove to be a more difficult task than the men, but there is no doubt the women are aiming to put on their best race of the season to shoot for that goal.
“We are currently seeded eighth and only top three get to go, but I think that if the women go out there, run a smart race, and tighten up our split from runners one through five, then we have the potential to work our way up very close to that third position,” Burgamy said. “Riley and Cassie have shown that they can run with some of the best individuals in the region, so I know they have the potential to give us some great low-sticks, but we can’t have the kind of gaps we did at Conference if we want to be a factor as a team.”
The need for the women to band closer together is definitely a detail they are aware of and ready to improve upon on the stage of the regional championship. This group of women has a bond unlike teams that have come through Augusta’s program before, so there is definitely an emotional and moral benefit they have going for them as they toe the line come Saturday morning.
“We are so close as a team and we have worked so hard with each other. And I think that will help us going into Regionals,” Gilbert said.
All meet details, course maps, directions, and livestream of the event can be found at the link provided. https://wingatebulldogs.com/sports/2022/11/7/2022-cross-country-regionals.aspx.
Junior Carlos Rodriguez shows emotion as he crosses the finish line in the Peach Belt Conference championship on Nov. 5 at Redcliffe Plantation. At the top of the page, the Jaguar women get started in the PBC meet. (photos by Madison Keel)
