Hogs head to regional championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 12 Arkansas Razorback women’s cross country will run at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, Saturday, Nov. 15, in Waco, Texas. The women’s 6K race is set to go off at 10 a.m. at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.

Each team is allowed seven entries for Saturday’s race. Denise Bargiachi, Megan Jackson, Christine Kalmer, Samantha Learch, Dacia Perkins, Jillian Rosen and Catherine White are scheduled to compete.

No. 12 Arkansas, No. 18 Baylor, Houston, Lamar, No. 22 Rice, No. 19 SMU, Stephen F. Austin, Texas, Texas A&M and TCU, among others, will compete at the South Central Regional Championships on Saturday.

The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) has Arkansas Razorback women’s cross country ranked No. 12 in its most recent poll of the 2008 season, it was announced by the association Nov. 4.

Among the South Central Region, Baylor is ranked No. 18, SMU is No. 19 and Rice sits at No. 22.

Also released earlier this week were the USTFCCCA regional rankings. The Arkansas harriers are seated at No. 1 in the South Central Region. Baylor ranks second and SMU rounds out the top three.

Earlier this week, the SEC announced its post-season awards. White, a native of Roanoke, Va., has been named the 2008 SEC Athlete of the Year after a commanding victory at this season’s conference championships. Head coach Lance Harter, in his 19th season at Arkansas and 30th overall as a head coach, was named the 2008 SEC Coach of the Year after guiding the Razorbacks to their 13th overall and third-straight SEC cross country title.

Since the regional meets were first conducted in 1982, Arkansas has been among the top three teams every season and has been one of the two automatic bids to the NCAA Championships 21 times.

In 2007, Arkansas had all five of its scoring runners earn all-region honors and earned a trip to the NCAA Championships with a second-place finish in the team race.

From the 2007 South Central Championships, Arkansas returns five harriers that earned all-region honors (top 25 finish): Denise Bargiachi (third), Christine Kalmer (eighth), Jillian Rosen (14th) Dacia Perkins (22nd) and Catherine White (23rd).

In their last competition, Arkansas won its 13th overall and third-straight SEC Championship behind an individual race win from White. The Razorbacks outscored Florida, 46 to 53, and saw four of its student-athletes earn All-SEC honors.

For more information on the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, visit BaylorBears.com. For more information about Arkansas Athletics, visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Download: 11.15.08 NCAA SC Regs.pdf