DI South Region Preview

The 2015 South Region Championships will be held Friday morning at the Harry Pritchett Running Course in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The women’s 6K race starts the day at 9 a.m. CT (8 a.m. ET) with the men’s 10K event taking place an hour later.

You can follow the race on the National Results Wall, and via live results.

Men’s Race

Team Breakdown

Throughout the regular season, Florida State and Mississippi found themselves in and out of the National Coaches’ Poll. Right now, they’re both out of the top-30 and only the Seminoles are hanging by a thread among those that received votes.

What matters to Florida State and Ole Miss, however, is where they finish in the region. First or second place means a trip to Louisville, Kentucky and the right to contend for a national title at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park next Saturday.

Entering Friday’s championship meet, the Seminoles and Rebels are ranked 1-2 in the South Region and if the rankings hold, they’ll be headed to the Bluegrass State. Problem is that both Florida State and Ole Miss have been plagued by inconsistency this season, so they don’t know what kind of performance they’ll get in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

That would open the door for teams like Georgia (ranked third in the South) or Florida (ranked fourth) to earn a bid to nationals. Even host Alabama (ranked 10th) could sneak in there before the door closes.

Individual Breakdown

This race couldn’t be more wide-open.

Based on what’s happened this season so far, it would be hard not to call Alabama’s Antibahs Kosgei the overwhelming favorite. Kosgei recently won individual glory at the SEC Championships and placed second at the Crimson Classic in mid-October.

Then again, don’t rule out Mississippi’s Sean Tobin, Craig Engels or M.J. Erb. While all three have yet to break through, their past shows it only takes one race for them to get going.

Also keep an eye on Florida State’s Harry Mulenga, who finished 11th at ACCs.

Women’s Race

Team Breakdown

One team has dominated the South Region since 2007 and that’s Florida State.

Over the past eight years, the Seminoles captured six titles (2007, 2008, 2010-13) and finished second in those other two years (2009, 2014). Last time out, Vanderbilt edged Florida State by one point (53-54) and ruined a chance for a Seminole five-peat.

This year could mark the end of Florida State’s reign if Mississippi State and Vanderbilt have their say. As it stands, both the Bulldogs (No. 17) and Commodores (No. 27) are ranked in the National Coaches’ Poll, while the Seminoles are not. Mississippi State and Vanderbilt are also well ahead of Florida State in the regional team rankings – first and second, compared to the Seminoles’ seventh.

Individual Breakdown

Many of the top runners in the women’s field competed against each other two weeks ago at the SEC Championships in College Station, Texas.

Tennessee’s Chelsea Blaase took top honors from the South Region in that meet, beating Vanderbilt’s Caroline Pietrzyk by 14 seconds.

Other than Blaase and Pietrzyk, Auburn’s Brenda Kigen (fourth), Mississippi State’s Marta Fritas (ninth) and Mississippi’s Alex Mary England (10th) also fared well.

Keep an eye on 2014 XC All-American Rhianwedd Price of Mississippi State, Alabama’s Katelyn Greenleaf and Rachael Reddy as well as Chattanooga’s Teghan Henderson (2013 XC All-American) and UT-Martin’s Ann Asipan as well.