University of Florida assistant track coach Todd Morgan, who oversees the cross country program, addressed the media Monday morning as part of the Gators' All-Sports Media Day.
Coach Morgan shared his assessment of the women’s cross country team using three top-ten finishes and a second place overall team finish at the 2010 NCAA Cross Country South Regional to automatically qualify as a team for the NCAA Championship meet Saturday in Birmingham, Ala.
The UF men fell just short of a top-two automatic team bid, but turned in a third-place overall finish with 76 points, led by junior Dumisane Hlaselo (4th place), who picked up one of the South Region men's at-large bids to compete at the NCAA Championships.
UF's women advance to the NCAA Championship as a team for the fifth consecutive year, 11th all-time, after finishing in the top five at the South Region Championships for the sixth consecutive year.
Florida’s men recorded their best team regional finish Saturday since also placing third in 2007, additionally marking the 14th consecutive season in the top five at the men’s regional. Hlaselo will be the first member of the men's cross country team to compete at NCAAs since Jeremy Criscione was an All-American as an individual in 2008.
Coach Morgan then discussed and fielded questions about junior Genevieve LaCaze continuing to meet expectations, on the women’s focus entering the NCAA Championships and on the accomplishment of the women’s team.
