JONESBORO, Ark. (10/27/22) – Championship season is upon the Arkansas State cross country teams, as they get set to defend conference titles at the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Championships, held Friday afternoon at Graham Creek Nature Preserve in Foley, Ala.

Originally slated for Saturday morning, the conference elected to move up the meet to Friday afternoon to avoid forecasted inclement weather in the Foley area on Saturday. The women’s 5K will begin at 4:02 p.m. CT with the men’s 8K to follow at approximately 5 p.m. Both races will air live on ESPN+, with Drew Fellios and Tyler Mayforth on the call. Admission to the championships is free.

A-State swept last season’s championships with 45 points on the women’s side and 32 for the men. It marked the third straight crown for the women’s squad and the first Sun Belt title for the men.

THE COMPETITION (WOMEN – 13): Arkansas State, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison, Louisiana, Marshall, South Alabama, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy, ULM

THE COMPETITION (MEN – 9): Arkansas State, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, Marshall, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, ULM

THREE THINGS TO NOTE:

1. NEW VENUE – This season marks the first time the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships have taken place in Foley, but it isn’t a new location for the league as a whole. Over the past few years, the conference’s women’s soccer and volleyball tournaments have been held at the nearby Foley Sports Tourism Complex.
2. YOUTH MOVEMENT – Arkansas State boasts veterans on its Sun Belt Conference Championship rosters that know what it takes to hoist the hardware. However, a new crop of Red Wolves has arrived to carry on the tradition. This season’s championship squads features four true freshman on the women’s team, along with four freshmen and sophomores for the men.
3. LAST TIME OUT – In the Red Wolves’ final tune-up ahead of Friday’s conference meet, they put together strong finishes at the Arturo Barrios Invitational. Jacob Pyeatt placed ninth overall en route to being named the league’s Runner of the Week on Oct. 18.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @Arkansas_State_Track on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.