UNA Athletics has been recognized for the Men’s Cross Country team in a regional poll.
The team was ranked No. 15 in the South Region by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in its rankings for week one of the season, according to a release from UNA Athletics.
“It’s great to be recognized and know people are watching,” second-year head coach Connor Callahan said. “With this, we have to continue to sustain and push forward on the success we had last season.”
UNA is one of three Atlantic Sun Conference teams in the preseason poll with Lipscomb and North Florida being the other two.
The team will only be taking part in four regular season races this year, including the Southern Showcase, Gans Creek Classic and Crimson Classic in Huntsville.
“We have a mix of returns and newcomers that are hungry to keep this momentum,” Callahan said.
One of the returning runners is Kimeli Brian Bett, a record-breaking runner from Kenya in his second year with the team.
According to Bett, in his country, cross country is mostly run by the national team. School athletes and amateurs are directed to track, which is how the 3,000 and 5,000 meters became his favorite modalities.
Settled and fully motivated, Bett kicked off his first-ever season and collegiate race last year by achieving the third place of 134 runners with a time of 19:46.35. He ran this in the City Auto Memphis Twilight XC Classic on Aug. 31 of last year. UNA would finish fifth of 13 schools.
