The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA South Central Regional Championships
No. 5 Texas qualifies for nationals with second straight regional title
11.09.2012 | Track & Field / Cross Country m, Track & Field / Cross Country
Nov. 9, 2012
Results |
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - No. 5 University of Texas men's cross country captured its second consecutive NCAA South Central Regional title with five runners finishing in the top 12 on Friday at Agri Park.
The win clinched the Longhorns' fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA Cross Country Championships, which takes place in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 17.
Texas scored 38 points in the 10K race on Friday, followed by Arkansas (53), Texas A&M (93), McNeese State (157) and Stephen F. Austin (174) to round out the top five teams.
"I was really proud of the guys," coach John Hayes said. "They went out and did what we had to do. It is warm and very windy day; it is a beautiful course and we love coming here, but they did what they had to do in order to get to nationals and that is what our focus was today."
Junior Ryan Dohner paced Texas and finished fourth overall with a time of 30:00.8 - besting his 10K personal-record of 30:21.1 set at last season's regional meet. Sophomore Craig Lutz finished sixth overall (30:13.2), senior Rory Tunningley finished seventh (30:16.2), senior Kyle Merber finished ninth (30:23.8) and junior Patrick McGregor finished 12th (30:42.5) to make up UT's top five harriers.
Six of the seven Longhorns in the race received NCAA All-South Central Region honors by finishing in the top 25 (Dohner, Lutz, Tunningley, Merber, McGregor and 17th-place Trevor Van Ackeren).
Texas A&M's Henry Lelei was the top individual finisher with a time of 29:36.5.
The 2012 NCAA Division I Championships takes place on Saturday, Nov. 17 at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.
