Williams to Host NCAA New England Division III Regional Cross-Country Championships
Brendan Christian -09- Edgar Kosgey-10- Jeff Perlis -10- Anthony Raduazo -12
Williamstown, MA-- The season all comes down to two championship meets and Williams College will be hosting one of them. This Saturday the Ephs are hosting, and competing in, the NCAA New England Division III Regional Championships. The meet will be held at the Ephs' home course, Mt. Greylock Regional High School. The men's 8K race starts at 11:00 A.M. followed by the women's 6K race at noon.
Williams has never hosted the Regional Championships before; however, the Mt. Greylock course is no stranger to championship meets. Mt. Greylock High School has been the site of the ECAC Championships six times as well as last year's NESCAC Championships.
The field will be huge and the stakes will be high. 54 men's teams and 57 women's teams are making the trip to Williamstown in hopes of earning a berth in the National Championships the following week. With over fifty teams and only two automatic bids (plus a potential 1-3 additional "at large" teams), competition will be extremely intense.
A few top teams figure to be in the mix on the men's side. Williams College, ranked 1st in the New England region and 7th in the nation, will be fighting for a spot at nationals. Other contenders include Keene State (2nd in New England, 13th in the nation), Trinity (15th in the nation), Amherst (18th), and MIT (23rd). Keep in mind, however, that with a strong team race any team could earn themselves a spot in the National Championships.
Williams headlines the women's side as well, with a #1 ranking in the New England region and a #2 ranking in the nation. Middlebury is also a team to watch; they tied Williams in the NESCAC Championships and are ranked #4 in the nation. Also with a solid shot to qualify for Nationals are MIT (#16), Colby (#18), and Tufts (#23).
The forecast this weekend calls for a 60% chance of rain and a 100% chance of exciting racing. So get the family together, grab an umbrella or two, and head to Mt. Greylock Regional High School for what promises to be some of the most thrilling racing of the cross-country season.
For more information on the meet, click here.
