CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | VETERANS PARK
5K COURSE MAP | 8K COURSE MAP | SOCON RECORD BOOK

THIS WEEKEND: 2013 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
This weekend, Samford will host the 2013 Southern Conference Cross Country Championships at Veterans Park in Hoover, Ala.  The first championship of the 2013-14 season is set to begin at 10 a.m. CT with the men's 8k followed by the women's 5k at approximately 10:45 a.m.

Appalachian State will be defending both men's and women's titles from last season.  On the men's side, UNCG and Furman were picked as co-favorites to win the team title this year, with the Paladins holding five of the top six individual 8k times this season.  Elon was picked to win the women's title in the 2013 preseason poll, though UNCG currently holds the top three 5k times this season.

'DOGS RETURNING STARS FROM LAST SEASON
Samford returns multiple conference honorees from last season, including sophomore Rachel Roberts, who finished second overall to earn First Team All-SoCon and All-Freshman honors.  It was the highest finish for any freshman since 2009 and was only the fifth time since 2008 a freshman had been named to the First Team and All-Freshman team in the same season.

On the men's side, sophomores Luke Weishaar, Brandon Hazouri and Adam Jones all had breakout freshman campaigns in 2012, earning spots on the SoCon All-Freshman team.  They were Samford's first representatives on the team since 2010 and the Bulldogs were the only team since 2008 to have three members on the All-Freshman team.  Weishaar currently has the top time for the Samford men in the 8k this season, a 25:29.88 performance at the Commodore Classic on Sept. 14.

LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA CRIMSON CLASSIC
For the second-straight meet, sophomore Adam Jones was the Bulldogs' lead runner, finishing 28th in 25:37.44.  Luke Weishaar was the next across (31st, 25:41.75), leading a small pack of Bulldogs with Layton Dorsett (37th, 25:45.24) and Brandon Hazouri (38th, 25:47.42) following close behind.  Lucas Sieb (55th, 26:08.49) and James Graham (122nd, 27:26.57) rounded out the Bulldogs' field of six.

Frances Bernard continued her successful season, leading the Bulldogs with a season-best time of 18:27.15, placing 56th.  Rachel Wooten crossed the line less than 10 second later (63rd, 18:35.15) with Marie Demedicis finishing near the end of a pack around the 19:00.00 mark, placing 101st in 19:07.46.  Ansley Bos (107th, 19:18.45), Chelsea Treadway (116th, 19:27.16) and Anna Laura Irvine (119th, 19:32.84) rounded out the rest of Samford's competitors.

NEXT UP: NCAA SOUTH REGIONALS
In two weeks, Samford will head back to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the NCAA South Regionals, hosted by the University of Alabama.  Any teams or individuals that earn automatic or at-large bids will move on to compete at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Ind.