The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Blazers Head To Furman Invitational
10/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Oct. 8, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB cross country team will travel to Greenville, S.C. to compete in the Furman Invitational Saturday in what will be the final regular-season meet of the 2009 campaign. The 5K race will kick off at 8 a.m. at the Furman University Golf Course.
"Our trip to Furman should serve as the perfect tune-up for the conference championships later this month," head coach Blake Boldon said. "It's a course that has hosted the national championships and there will be a quality field. At this point, that is the exact type of 5K that we need to finish our regular season."
The Furman Invitational boasts a 17-team field that includes The Citadel, Francis Marion, Furman, Marshall and Tennessee Tech, among other schools.
Prior to last weekend's hiatus from competition, UAB finished seventh out of a 17-team field of strong national competition at the Roy Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota on Sept. 26.
Senior Kristina Olsen was the leading runner for the Blazers, finishing 25th overall with a 6K time of 22:41.
"Kristina Olsen's senior leadership has really shone through in the last few weeks, and we're counting on her for another fine performance," Boldon said.
Other top runners for the Blazers included junior Stephanie Gammon who finished second for the Blazers and 41st overall with a time of 23:06. Sophomores Kristina Vaughn and Colleen Standridge were the third and fourth-place finishers for UAB with times of 23:27 and 23:52, respectively.
"Colleen Standridge and Kristina Vaughn continue to impress me with their consistency and I think Clara Cid is able to get back in and pick up where she left off," Boldon said.
Junior Bianca Le'Blanc will not be making the trip with the team; instead she will be racing at the Southeast XC Showdown in Hoover, Ala. The women's 3K race starts at 7:15 a.m.
