Nov. 20, 2010
AUBURN, Ala. -- Two Auburn cross country runners head to Terre Haute, Ind., Monday for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Ben Cheruiyot and Holly Knight will vie for Top 10 finishes at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.
"Both Ben and Holly will commit to the lead group and aim for top ten finishes," head coach Mark Carroll said.
Cheruiyot 30 minutes, 19.33 seconds in the men's 10K race to finish seventh at the NCAA South Regional Nov. 13, earning his second trip to the NCAA Championships and All- South Region honors. Knight turned in a 19:57.68 6K performance to finish fifth and qualify individually for her second NCAA Championship, and All-South Region accolades.
"They both know the course in Terra Haute, and have prepared all season on similar terrain," Carroll added.
All season Cheruiyot and Knight have been Auburn's top performers on the men and women's side. Knight has been the women's team top finisher five out of the six races this season. She took the top honor at the Crimson Classic and Memphis Twilight Cross Country Festival, finished third at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival and finished second at the SEC Championships.
Cheruiyot has been the men's team top finisher in every race he has run this season. He finished fifth at the Chile Pepper Festival with a personal-best 10K (29:21.06) in a field full of the nation's top runners and finished second at the SEC Championships in Columbia, S.C.
"The strong competition at the SEC and Regional meets have both Holly and Ben coming in to the NCAA meet in peak form, "Carroll said. "Ben and Holly had their last harder paced workout on Wednesday, and both looked smooth, relaxed and ready for the NCAA meet."