After racing against some of the best teams in the nation Oct. 14 at the Chile Pepper Festival, LSU’s cross country teams will host the Southeastern Conference Championships on Saturday at Highland Road Park. The race marks the last time 10 seniors will be able to race in front of their friends and family, while representing LSU. Senior Matthew Guy said he is happy to be able to race in front of his friends on such a large stage. “I feel lucky that my last SEC Cross Country Championships meet is at home,” he said. “I think it is a huge advantage to have the SEC meet at home.” At the Chile Pepper Festival, the men’s team was led by senior Drew Haro. Haro has crossed the finish line first for the men’s team in all three races he has run this season. The favorite coming into the men’s meet is the No. 6 team in the nation, the University of Arkansas. The Razorbacks have three No. 1 finishes and one No. 2 finish in the four meets they have taken part in this season. Guy said he feels LSU has an advantage being able to race at home, despite being an underdog. “Knowing the course and not having to travel is very important,” he said. The women’s team has been led by junior Rachael Graham. Graham has two top-10 finishes this season, including a No. 1 finish at the Tiger Cross Country Festival. Graham said she has been looking forward to the final meet all season. “Each meet that we have run so far has led up to this one,” she said. “The best competition will be here because throughout the semester the conference teams, for the most part, were pretty spread out.” Several women set personal-best times at the Chile Pepper Festival, and Graham said the progression will translate into success this weekend. “At this meet, I know that we can be successful if we believe that we can because of all the work we have done,” she said. “We have worked just as hard as the other teams and to be competitive with the other girls is not an unreasonable goal.” The defending SEC champions for the women is the University of Tennessee, but Arkansas’s No. 4-ranked women come into the race as the favorite, thanks to an easy victory at the Chile Pepper Festival. Despite the SEC Championships being the most important meet of the season, Graham said no one has shown a sense of urgency this week. “I haven’t really noticed any flagrant changes in attitude or demeanor as a result of this meet potentially being the last for some,” she said. “Maybe it hasn’t become a reality, or we’re just too focused on the present to be clouded by the inevitable future.”
—–Contact Casey Gisclair at [email protected]