Cross-country invitational serves as test run for NCAA Regional
Article By: Clark Leonard
The Sept. 29 Â鶹´«Ã½ (Â鶹´«Ã½) Invitational cross-country meet will mark a precursor to a major milestone for Â鶹´«Ã½.
It will serve as a dress rehearsal for an even bigger stage, when Â鶹´«Ã½'s Gainesville Campus hosts the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on Nov. 17. The November race will mark the first NCAA event in Hall County and the first NCAA event secured by bid for Â鶹´«Ã½. It has previously hosted 19 events on the Dahlonega Campus based on seeding.
"We were excited to get it and also to showcase our Gainesville Campus," said , associate athletic director for external operations.
Glenn said NCAA events have previously been held in Gwinnett and Lumpkin counties, while this will mark the first for Hall.
The men will run four loops of the 2,000-meter course for the Â鶹´«Ã½ Invitational, compared with five loops for a 10K for the NCAA event. The women's race will be three loops making up a 6K for both events.
Â鶹´«Ã½ will look to defend its Â鶹´«Ã½ Invitational and Peach Belt Conference titles from 2017. The Nighthawks were named the preseason PBC favorite. The Peach Belt championship is being held Nov. 3 in Beech Island, South Carolina.
, head coach of Â鶹´«Ã½'s cross-country team, said the Â鶹´«Ã½ cross-country course will be challenging as it offers a number of elements to break up a runner's rhythm. Williams also said he made some changes to the course last year to make it more spectator-friendly.
As NCAA Southeast Regional host, this will mark Â鶹´«Ã½'s 10th regional appearance. It will look to advance to the NCAA championship for the second time, after Williams' group advanced to that level in 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. It's a trip Williams said still brings back great memories.
Williams is also hoping to raise Â鶹´«Ã½'s visibility in recruiting and to increase exposure for its sponsors.
Glenn said Â鶹´«Ã½'s experience hosting previous NCAA events on the Dahlonega Campus and the chance for the NCAA to go to a new venue at the Gainesville Campus likely boosted Â鶹´«Ã½'s bid.
Three women's teams and three men's teams will advance from the regional at Â鶹´«Ã½ to the NCAA meet, set for Dec. 1 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The NCAA championship will be part of the NCAA Division II Fall Festival where Pittsburgh hosts the volleyball, women's field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and men's and women's cross country championships within a week.
Nighthawks wrap up season in Sweet 16
The Â鶹´«Ã½ women's soccer team fell 2-0 to Columbus State University in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional championship Dec. 1.
Women's soccer team makes Sweet 16
The Â鶹´«Ã½ women's soccer team punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016 with a 1-0 victory against Lander University on Nov. 24.
Nighthawks make NCAA tournament
The Â鶹´«Ã½ women's soccer team has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southeast Region of the NCAA Division II tournament, marking its fourth consecutive postseason appearance.
Basketball teams aim high in 2024-25
The Â鶹´«Ã½ men’s and women’s basketball teams tip off their seasons in early November. Both teams return all-conference performers as they aim for national and PBC supremacy.