Oct. 25, 2005
ORLANDO - UCF is set to host the 2005 Conference USA Cross Country Championship at Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex in Lake Buena Vista on Oct. 29. The men's race begins at 9 a.m. followed by the women's event at 9:45 a.m.
The championship, originally scheduled to be hosted by Tulane and held in New Orleans, La., was forced to change venues following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"This is just another example of how our conference members are working together to make the most out of what has been an eventful and unprecedented fall season for our league," C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said. "The folks at Walt Disney World Resort and UCF have worked hard over the last month to put this championship together and we expect to have a pair of competitive races at a great venue on Saturday."
"We are proud to be able to host such a prestigious event in our inaugural year as a member of C-USA," said UCF Director of Athletics Steve Orsini. "This weekend's event promises to be exciting with some of the top cross country teams in the nation vying for the conference championship title."
The 2005 C-USA cross country season is shaping up to be one of the strongest in recent years as four women's teams are ranked in the latest Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association regional polls (Rice - 3rd/South-Central, SMU - 5th/South-Central, UAB - 7th/South and Tulsa - 9th/Midwest).
On the men's side, five teams are currently ranked in the latest United States Cross Country Coaches' Association regional polls (UTEP - 3rd/Mountain, Rice - 4th/South-Central, Houston - 14th/South-Central, Tulsa - 10th/Midwest and UCF - 14th/South). The UTEP men are the lone C-USA team ranked in a Top 25 poll, as the Miners are ranked 10th nationally in the Mondo's Poll.
Tickets for the event will be available on the day of the event.