After successful seasons by both the UNC men’s and women’s cross country teams, the Tar Heels competed in the NCAA Southeast Regionals in Louisville, KY, on Friday morning. Both the men and women competed against 30 other schools from the region, including NC State, Wake Forest and Duke.

The top two team finishers from each region clinch an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships next weekend. The women ensured their spot in the championships by coming in second place in the 6k team race, behind only NC State. Five Tar Heels placed in the race’s top 20 finishers, including standout freshman Brynn Brown in 13th. The Tar Heel women, ranked No. 9 in the latest national polls, will compete in the NCAA Championships for a second straight season.

The Tar Heel men competed later in the day in the 10k race. Carolina finished 3rd in the field, behind Wake Forest and Furman. Freshman Parker Wolfe and senior Jack Aho both finished in the top 10 for UNC. While the men didn’t clinch an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships, they remain in good shape for an at-large bid by finishing 3rd. The selection committee considers several factors when awarding the 13 bids, such as regional finish and head-to-head results against other teams in the field or on the bubble.

Additionally, competitors like Wolfe could secure individual at-large bids if the UNC men are left out of the field. The first four student-athletes from a non-qualifying team to finish the regional race automatically earn at-large bids. Wolfe was the 3rd finisher from a team outside of Wake Forest and Furman on Friday.

The NCAA will announce at-large bids on Saturday. The Championships will take place in Tallahassee, FL, on November 20.

 

Featured image via Atlantic Coast Conference

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