By Andrew Preston
History will be made Saturday as the Trevecca men and women’s cross country teams host the school’s first ever Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Championships at Percy Warner Park.
“The way the conference has it set up, hosting the G-MAC is in A-B-C order,” head coach Austin Selby explained. “We thought we were getting it last year, but are happy to be hosting this year.”
The Trojans earn hosting rights this year due to Ohio Dominican University and Ohio Valley University not having their home courses ready for competition.
“It’s a huge deal,” Selby said. “We so often have to go up to Cedarville to do anything. It changes the scenery and that will be nice for us.”
In addition to practicing at Percy Warner Park, the Trojans will be competing in a meet at their home course for the third time this season.
“We feel very confident in how to execute a meet there,” Selby said. “It’s going to be great for people from Trevecca to see what our runners go up against on a yearly basis.”
The Trojans most recently hosted their second annual Division II Showcase on Sept 23, in which senior Brandon Laws finished fourth overall and junior Danielle March finished 20th. Three weeks prior, the Trojans began their season at Percy Warner competing in the Belmont Opener.
“It’s exciting to get to host the conference meet,” senior Brandon Laws said. “It’s our first time hosting so hopefully we leave great first impressions to all the teams and fans.”
While Selby says the team is excited to host the championships, he believes his team will be ready for the competition.
“The pressure of wanting to do well for the conference meet is there,” Selby said. “For our group their nerves will be settled. There are some technical spots on the course and our team knows exactly how to handle them.”
“I’m comfortable running there,” echoed Laws. “The team practices there every week, so we are familiar with the entire course which gives us a great advantage.”
At the G-MAC championships last season the women’s team finished third overall while the men’s team finished fourth overall.
“Team wise it’s going to be very difficult for us to win,” Selby said. “Brandon Laws has an excellent shot at competing very well. I’d put him up with any other guy in our conference, on any given day.”
Laws finished seventh overall in the G-MAC Championships a season ago with a time of 27:05. Laws has cut his 8K time down a full minute running a 26:01 at the Division II Showcase this season.
“I want to win the individual G-MAC Championship,” Laws said. “If I don’t win, then I hope to at least get first team all-conference which is a top seven finish.”
IF YOU GO:
When: Oct. 21
Men’s race: 10:30 a.m. | Women’s race: 11:30 a.m.
Where: Percy Warner Park
