Cross Country Preview: City Auto Twilight Classic – Memphis Official Athletic Site

MEMPHIS, Tenn. –Although the event’s sponsor has changed, the University of Memphis cross country squad kicks off a campaign for the ninth-straight year at the annual Twilight Classic Saturday. City Auto is this year’s sponsor, and the races are held at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Collierville.
 
Overall, this is the 14^thseason Memphis has raced in the event. The Twilight Classic, which is in its 17^thyear, is hosted by Christian Brothers University.
 
The Tigers enter 2019 with new looks for both teams. Head coach Kevin Robinson is carrying his largest group in program history with 18 men and 18 women. Of the 36 runners combined, 21 are incoming freshmen (8 men/13 women).
 
City Auto Twilight Classic Schedule

 
Women’s teams:Alabama, Allen Community College, Bethel, Christian Brothers, Freed-Hardeman, Hannibal-LaGrange, LeMoyne-Owen, Little Rock, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Miles College, Ole Miss, Rhodes College, Southern Miss, UAB, William Carey
 
Men’s teams:Alabama, Allen Community College, Bethel, Christian Brothers, Freed-Hardeman, Hannibal-LaGrange, LeMoyne-Owen, Little Rock, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Miles College, Ole Miss, Rhodes College, William Carey
 
Head coach Kevin Robinson comments
(On getting started Saturday)
“It’s always an exciting time to get our group back together. It gives us an opportunity to see how the newcomers compete and what kind of shape the returnees come back in. 
 
“We got the largest group of distance and cross country athletes on our roster this year than we’ve ever had. We have a lot of bodies, a lot of talent. Saturday’s race will be a good starting point for us to evaluate our teams.
 
“We going to sit some of our higher-profile athletes and allow them to recover because their (outdoor) seasons just got over. The Wyatts are going to sit, Payton is going to sit, but that gives us even more of an opportunity to see our younger runners step up and post top-five, top-seven finishes. We’re planning to run everyone except those whose (outdoor) season ran a little long and need a little more rest.”
 
(On the large number of distance runners this year)
“We had some recruiting goals last year, and one of those was to build a distance squad that had enough numbers to accommodate redshirts, accommodate injuries and still be in a position to be competitive. Coach (Ken) Frenette did a really good job on the recruiting trail this year. It’s the largest distance group we’ve ever had, and it’s exciting.”
 
(On the Twilight Classic)
“This race is a neat event to hold under the lights, even though it’s past my bedtime. It gives the younger kids who are running in the earlier races to stick around and see the college teams run, and that’s motivating for them. The event has a live band, so it’s an entertaining evening. But ultimately, we’re there to compete.”
 
Tigers Tidbits

• Saturday’s race is the first of three for the Tigers in the Memphis area in 2019. After Saturday, Memphis runs in the annual Rhodes College Invitational at Shelby Farms Sept. 21 and then hosts the 2019 American Athletic Conference Championships at Shelby Farms Nov. 1.
• The Tigers men’s team looks to defend its Twilight Classic title from a year ago. The Classic crown was the program’s first in the event.
• The last time Memphis ran an August race was in the 2014 Twilight Classic. The Tigers ran Aug. 30, 2014, and both squads placed fourth in their respective races.
• For the women’s team, the Tigers return only three runners who competed in last year’s Twilight Classic. They are Gabrielle Byndas, Erin Gilbert and Madi Ray. Paige Sandwell did not run in the 2018 event due to injury.
• On the men’s side, six returnees are running in their second Twilight Classic Saturday. They are Jessie Boyett, Christian Corsello, Emmanuel Cullins, Lucas Finton, Brendan Hill and Avery Wood.

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