DECATUR—The culmination of over two months of hard work will be realized when Agnes Scott Cross Country takes its place at the start line of the USA South Championships. The race, scheduled for 11 a.m., is the first of two postseason races in which the Scotties will take part.
Agnes Scott will be running a 6k race for the second time this season, this time on the course hosted by Maryville College in Tennessee.
The Scotties have seen some success in their first two years in the USA South, placing in the top half of the conference in both 2016 and 2017. Agnes has also had a runner receive All-Conference honors in both years, including an impressive ninth-place finish by Faridah Nalunkuuma put the Scotties at seventh overall.
Seniors Allyssa Willis (Apache Junction, Ariz.) and Ellie Vergura (Atlanta, Ga.) have led the Scotties for the entirety of the season, trading top spot honors in the team's previous four races. Willis, who missed the only 6k race of the regular season, posted a team-best 7:15 split in the Jaguar Invitational hosted by Augusta University back on September 22. Vergura filled the void as the top finisher for the Scotties in their final tune-up at Berry just two weeks ago.
Both will be looked to set the pace for the Scotties from the start of the race, as will classmate Isabelle Eiden (Chicago, Ill.), who has consistently been the third Scottie to cross the finish line.
Program newcomers Kaylah Edwards (Lilburn, Ga.) and Catherine Ortega have also provided a spark for the Scotties down the stretch of the season, scoring in each of the team's races in October.
Friday's meet serves as the final race before the team heads back to Rome, Ga. for the NCAA regional championships at Berry in two weeks.
Find more information about the conference race HERE.