GOLDEN SUNS RELEASE ITS 2007 CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech University Head Cross Country Coach Tom Aspel announced his team’s 2007 schedule on Tuesday.

Aspel, who is entering his 13th season at the helm of the Golden Suns Cross Country program, has his team running in five meets before the Gulf South Championships on Oct. 20 in Pensacola, Fla.

Tech will open the season on Aug. 31 when they host the first annual Tech Twilight Run at 6:30 p.m. The twilight run is a 2-mile meet that will run around the perimeter of the Tech campus.

“We’re excited to be are able to host a home meet this season,” Aspel said. “This meet will be a good way to open the season and help our runners prepare for the season.”

Following the Tech Twilight Run, the Golden Suns will compete at the Missouri Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo., on Sept. 15 and will close out the month by running at the Orange Crush Invitational hosted by Hendrix College on Sept. 22 in Conway, Ark.

“The Missouri Southern meet will allow our team to run on the same course that is hosting this year’s NCAA Division II Championships,” Aspel added.

Tech will open the month of October by running on Oct. 6 at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Meet, which is hosted by Christian Brothers University. Following the Memphis Twilight, Tech will close the regular season at the 15th annual Chile Pepper Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas on Oct. 13. The Chile Pepper Invitational is one of the premier cross country meets in the country as it features some of the nation’s top-ranked teams from NCAA Division I.

“The Chile Pepper meet should be a very good test for our team heading into the GSC Championships the next weekend,” the Tech coach said.

The Golden Suns will then compete at the 2007 GSC Championships on Oct. 20 in Pensacola, Fla. This year’s GSC Meet is being hosted by the University of West Florida. After the GSC Meet, Tech will compete at the NCAA D-II South Regional Meet on Nov. 3 in Huntsville, Ala. The 2007 cross country season will conclude on Nov. 17 at the NCAA Division II National Championship Meet in Joplin, Mo. The top four teams and the top four individuals not from the top four teams at regionals qualify for the NCAA Championship Meet. 

2006 ARKANSAS TECH CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE 

AUGUST

31 (Fri)      Tech Twilight Run (2 milles)            Russellville           6:30 p.m. 

SEPTEMBER

15 (Sat)      at Missouri Southern Stampede (5K)   Joplin, Mo.             8:30 a.m.

22 (Sat)      at Orange Crush Invitational (5K)        Conway, Ark.         8:30 a.m. 

OCTOBER

7 (Sat)        at Memphis Twilight (5K)                    Memphis, Tenn.     6 p.m.

13 (Sat)      at Chile Pepper Invitational (6K)          Fayetteville, Ark.    8 a.m.

20 (Sat)      at GSC Championships (5K)                Pensacola, Fla.       8:30 a.m. 

NOVEMBER

3 (Sat)        NCAA Division II South Regional (6K)   Huntsville, Ala.       TBA

17 (Sat)      NCAA Division II Championships (6K)   Joplin, Mo.             TBA 

All times listed are Central and subject to change

Home meets are indicated in BOLD

           -- Tech Athletics --