News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M Cross Country team opens its postseason campaign Friday as it hosts the SEC Championships for the first time in nine years at the Watts Cross Country Course. The women’s 6k race will start at 9:08 a.m., while the men’s 8k race will follow at 9:50 a.m.
“We’re excited to host the SEC Championships,” distance coach Wendel McRaven said. “I like to think there is an advantage to racing at home, we know the course and get to stay in our usual routine which is beneficial. This is also the start of the championships season for us and it’s a point in the season we target. Last year we had a good showing, as the men finished fourth and women finished sixth. The women’s side of the championships is very deep with a lot of good teams, while the men’s side has great top end talent.”
At the 2023 conference championships, the Maroon & White recorded their two best team finishes in over seven years, with the men placing fourth and women sixth. A&M brought back two of the point scorers on the men’s side from last year’s championships in Jonathan Chung and Jack Johnston, while the women returned four in Maddie Livingston, Shewaye Johnson, Kennady Fontenot and Emma Little.
This season, the men and women opened the campaign with a pair of team podium finishes at the Cowboy Preview and Texas A&M Invitational. Last time out at the Arturo Barrios Invitational, the Aggies secured two top-10 results, with the men earning third place and the women ninth.
Sophomore Zack Munger has paced the men’s squad at every meet this season, including two consecutive third-place finishes at the Cowboy Preview and the Texas A&M Invitational. On the women’s side, freshman standout Maddie Peters clocked a new personal best 6k time of 20:09.8 at the Arturo Barrios Invitational and was the top point scorer for the Aggies.
This year’s field includes all 16 schools in the conference, with the exception of South Carolina and Mississippi State on the men’s side. The SEC brings a talented group to Aggieland, as there are two men’s teams, and three women’s teams who hold a spot in the national rankings.
Fans can watch the meet on the SEC Network, or follow along through Flash Results.