2011 Season Outlook. and 2007 (4:47.60).

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Geoffrey Green
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1 2011 Season Outlook Every year expectations are high for the UAB cross country team. This year is no different. Manchester, England native placed first in the 800 meters (2:22.30) and the 1,500 meters (4:48.80) at the 2011 North of England League Division 2WC. The Blazers have added to their already strong foundation from and the 2011 edition is looking to take even greater strides with six returning runners, including senior C-USA All-Academic Team selection and track All-American Rhiannon Johns. Sarah is coming in as a graduate student. She is already accomplished. She has put up some impressive times on the track, Houchin said. She s coming in as a more mature, more seasoned athlete than a lot of freshmen. She should be able to step right in and be a significant contributor for the season. Head coach Tony Houchin, who will coach his first UAB cross country season in 2011, sees the potential in his team and is focused on helping the team improve meet by meet. From Poulton-Le-Fylde, England, Leybourne finished first in the in the 1,500 meters at the Lancashire County Championships in 2011 (4:44.50), (4:42.50) and 2007 (4:47.60). The goal isn t always to win. The goal is to be better tomorrow than you are today, Houchin said. I think being that we are a senior-laden team, I think improvement is a very realistic expectation. Kristie she is very accomplished. She has represented the north of England at the home country s championship, Houchin said. Being selected to represent whatever area you re from; only a few people get to do that. The Blazers have worked hard over the summer to ensure that the 2011 season is their best yet. Each runner s individual commitment to training during the summer months will be a huge factor in the upcoming season. Wesley competed for Spaulding in Griffin, Ga. where she was selected by her high school as the most valuable player in cross country and track and field four-straight years and placed eighth in the 1,500 meters at the AAU Junior Olympics in. Championships are won out of season, so the work they put in over the summer is going to be very consequential in season, Houchin said Squad Returning all but four contributing runners from last year s team, the 2011 Blazers are full of experience with six runners boasting at least two seasons in the Green and Gold. That s huge that they have been together for so long, Houchin said. Last year was my first year here and I think it was a seamless transition from one training philosophy to the other. They really took to the training well. Those six runners include seniors Clara Cid, Lauren Fayen, Johns, Colleen Standridge, Lucy Taylor and Kristina Vaughn. Last season, Johns claimed first place at the Southeast Cross Country Showdown 5k to lead the Blazers to the overall meet title. During the track and field season, she qualified for the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships and took the 10,000-meter title at the C-USA Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive year. Cid, Strandridge and Vaughn competed in all six races for the Blazers last season. Cid, a Zaragoza, Spain product, finished 17th at the league meet after running a personal-best 5k time of 17:35. Also returning for the Blazers are Lauren Fayen and Lucy Taylor, who ran in five meets a season ago. Fayen, who didn t compete during the cross country season, progressed during the track and field season. Fayen clocked a 2:15.60 to take the event title in the 800 meters at the Southern Invitational, setting a new meet record. Jenna is a two-time state champion in the 800 meters, she s had four state championships in the mile and she s ready to move up in distance, Houchin said. She s ready to compete at the collegiate level and I think moving up in distance is going to help her. Woods competed with the 2011 UAB track and field team. She finished among UAB s top three in the 500 meters (1:24.31) and in the top five in the 600 meters (1:47.19). The fall 2011 season will be her first with the cross country team Schedule In one of the shortest competitive seasons in the NCAA, Houchin will guide his Blazers through a rigorous 2011 slate that features six meets, including one that is local. The season kicks off on Sept. 1 at the UAB-Samford Dual in Hoover, Ala. That was by design. I wanted to have a highly-competitive schedule, Houchin said. With this group full of seniors I think we might be in the conversation of teams that could potentially qualify for the NCAA championships. It would be the first time that UAB has every qualified for the nationals in cross country. It s a really short season. We have 11 weeks from day one that we are allowed to compete to day one of the national championship, so that means there is even less time before the regional championship. There s only about nine weeks. Then to the conference championship there are only eight weeks. Following the cross-town meet UAB will compete in the Auburn Invitational on Sept. 9. The Blazers will rest for three weeks before returning to action at the Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 30 in South Bend, Ind. I think this is the first year that Lauren has come in to the season healthy and also fit, Houchin said. I think she should be a significant contributor. The Green and Gold compete in the first 6k of the season on Oct. 16 at the Indiana State Pre-National Invitational located in Terre Haute, Ind. The Blazers will have two weeks off to prepare for the C-USA Championships on Oct. 31 hosted by Rice University in Houston, Texas. In addition to the veteran runners that lead the pack for the Green and Gold, Houchin supplemented the roster with four new faces in junior transfer Sarah Hudak, true freshmen Kristie Leybourne and Jenna Wesley, and redshirt freshman Kara Woods. Hopefully, by going to more challenging meets like Notre Dame and the PreNationals in Indiana we will possibly beat some of those automatic qualifying teams from other regions, putting us in a good position to qualify for nationals, Houchin said. Hudak completed her undergraduate degree at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England and ran two seasons with the cross country team. The The University of Alabama will host the NCAA South Regional on Nov. 12, while the NCAA Championships are slated for Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Ind Cr o s s Co u n t r y

Meet the Blazers Clara Cid Zaragoza, Spain I.E.S. Feliz de Zara Ran in five races for the Blazers claimed a fourth-place finish (18:26.

27) an All-C-USA Third Team selection. Ran in five out of six races for the Blazers... recorded a sixth-place finish at the Earl Jacoby Memorial with a season-best time of 19:35.

.. helped UAB capture first place at the Walt Disney World Classic with a 35th-place finish and a personal-best time of 18:53.90.

2 Meet the Blazers Clara Cid Zaragoza, Spain I.E.S. Feliz de Zara Ran in five races for the Blazers claimed a fourth-place finish (18:26.72) at the Samford Invitational recorded a personal-best time of 17:35 at the C-USA Championships finished the NCAA South Regional with a personal-best 6K time (21:03.27) an All-C-USA Third Team selection. Ran in five out of six races for the Blazers... recorded a sixth-place finish at the Earl Jacoby Memorial with a season-best time of 19:35... finished 27th in a field of 122 at the Furman Invitational. Ran three races for the Blazers... helped UAB capture first place at the Walt Disney World Classic with a 35th-place finish and a personal-best time of 18: best finish of the season came at the Belmont Invitational, crossing the line in 29th place... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. UAB Track & Field Highlights Ran to a first-place finish in the 3,000 meters (10:06.02) at the Vanderbilt Invitational... clocked a 17:32.09 to place third at the Sea Ray Relays... finished in sixth place ( ) in the 5,000 meters at the C-USA Outdoor Championships. Attended I.E.S. Félix de Azara in Zaragoza, Spain... coached by Jesús Romero... placed fourth in the 1500 meters at the Indoor Spain Championships... came in eighth at the Cross Country Spain Championships... placed fifth in the 1500 meters at the Outdoor Spain Championships. Full name is Clara Cid... born Feb. 16, daughter of Juan Carlos Cid and Ángela Oreja... majoring in communications. Cid s Collegiate Bests 6K 8 15: (Belmont Invitational - 9/5/08) 17:35 (C-USA Championships - 11/1/10) 21:03.27 (NCAA South Regional - 11/13/10) Cr o s s Co u n t r y

Lauren Fayen Wellington, New Zealand Hutt Valley HS Did not compete in C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Ran in five races for the Blazers.

.. named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Ran a personal-best time of 20:21.80 at the Walt Disney World Classic.

3 Lauren Fayen Wellington, New Zealand Hutt Valley HS Did not compete in C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Ran in five races for the Blazers... top finish of the season came at the Earl Jacoby Memorial, where she finished 10th with a personal-best time of 19:54... finished in the top 20 at the Furman Invitational with a time of 20: named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Ran a personal-best time of 20:21.80 at the Walt Disney World Classic... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll and was awarded the Conference USA Commissioner s Academic Medal. UAB Track & Field Highlights Set a new meet record at the Southern Invitational after taking first place in the 800 meters (2:15.60)... claimed first place in the 1,500 meters (4:34.90) at the Twilight Invitational... clocked a 2:10.93 to win the 800 meters at the Memphis Invitational... placed fourth in the 600 meters (1:36.55) at the Gladstein Invitational. Attended Hutt Valley... placed fourth in senior girls 400 meters at the 2006 New Zealand Secondary School Championship... placed fourth in Under meters at the 2007 New Zealand National Championships... was a member of Wellington representative team that won the Under-19 4x400-meter relay at the 2007 and New Zealand National Championships... placed third in U meters at the New Zealand National Championships... placed second in junior woman mile at Wanganui Mayoral Mile. Full name is Lauren Jean Fayen... born April 11, daughter of Kim and Chris Fayen... majoring in psychology. Fayen s Collegiate Bests. 6K Cr o s s Co u n t r y 14:37.01 (Belmont Opener - 9/4/09) 19:54 (Earl Jacoby Memorial - 9/12/09) 25:20 (Roy Griak Invitational - 9/26/09)

Rhiannon Johns Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada Sir James Dunn HS Claimed a first-place finish to help the Blazers take the title at the Samford Invitational with a time of 17:52.

06) out of 256 runners in the Memphis Twilight finished seventh among 469 runners in the Chile Pepper Festival hosted by Arkansas ran a career-best 16:55 at the C-USA Championships to earn All-C-USA

4 Rhiannon Johns Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada Sir James Dunn HS Claimed a first-place finish to help the Blazers take the title at the Samford Invitational with a time of 17:52.53 was the runner-up (17:29.06) out of 256 runners in the Memphis Twilight finished seventh among 469 runners in the Chile Pepper Festival hosted by Arkansas ran a career-best 16:55 at the C-USA Championships to earn All-C-USA First Team honors improved her personal-record 6K time by almost four minutes to 20:42.22 at the NCAA South Regional selected to the C-USA All-Academic Team by maintaining a 4.0 GPA in mathematics garnered the league s Academic Medal named to the Commissioner s Honor Roll. Claimed a first-place finish to help the Blazers take the title at the Earl Jacoby Memorial with a time of 18:22... ran 14:37.01 at the season-opening Belmont Opener to take a fifth-place finish... tabbed to the ESPN The Magazine All-District IV track and field/cross country second team... selected to the C-USA All-Academic Team... C-USA Academic Medal recipient... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Participated in all six meets... helped the Blazers finish first at the Walt Disney World Classic, finishing 17th in 18:26... finished 24th at the C-USA Championships with a new personal best of 18:24 in the run... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll and was awarded the C-USA Commissioner s Academic Medal. UAB Track & Field Highlights Became a conference champion for the second consecutive time in the 10,000 meters at the 2011 C-USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships after recording a time of 35:06.23 clocked a 16:29.21 to place 23rd in her first ever NCAA final in the 5,000 meters... earned honorable mention All-America accolades at the NCAA Outdoor Championships... shattered the five-year-old UAB record in the 5,000 meters (16:13.32) at the Mt. SAC Relays... placed first in the mile with a personal-record time of 5:01.11 at the Niswonger Invitational... set a season-best time of 16:58.82 in the 5,000 meters at the Indoor C-USA Championships... a C-USA All-Academic Team selection. Attended Sir James Dunn in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada... was cross country city champion in 2006 and... Northern Ontario Secondary Schools Association (NOSSA) Regional cross country champion in... also a member of the track team... placed third at Provincial Indoor Championship in the 3,000 meters... captured the city championship for both 1,500 and 3,000 meters for three consecutive years... set numerous city and NOSSA records in 1,500 and 3,000 meters... coached by Lori Purnis. Full name is Rhiannon Ellen Joan Johns... born June 11, daughter of Kevin and Karen Johns... majoring in mathematics. 10 Johns s Collegiate Bests 6K 14:37.01 (Belmont Opener - 9/4/09) 16:55 (C-USA Championships 11/1/10) 20:42.22 (NCAA South Regional 11/13/10) Cr o s s Co u n t r y

.. ran to a fifth-place finish at the Earl Jacoby Memorial (19:24)... also took fifth at the Furman Invitational with a time of 19:16.83... clocked a personal-best time of 19:06.

5 Colleen Standridge Palatine, Ill. Palatine HS Competed in all six meets for the Blazers finished in the top 10 (19:06.30) at the Samford Invitational shaved one minute off her time with an 18:09 at the C-USA Championships named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Competed in all six meets for the Blazers... ran to a fifth-place finish at the Earl Jacoby Memorial (19:24)... also took fifth at the Furman Invitational with a time of 19: clocked a personal-best time of 19:06.50 to claim 19th at the C-USA Championships and earned All-C-USA accolades... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Participated in four meets for UAB... set a personal best at the Walt Disney World Classic with a time of 19: best finish of the season came at the Belmont Opener after crossing the line in 36th place out of 103 runners with a time of 15: named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. UAB Track & Field Highlights Ran a season-best 4:54.16 in the 1,500 meters at the Bulldog Twilight Invitational... placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase crossing the line in 11:37.32 at the Southern Invitational. Attended Palatine in Palatine, Ill.... was named all-state in came in 11th at 2007 state championships... was the cross country MVP in 2006 and was named to three all-conference cross country teams in cross country team placed third at state championships in was a member of the track team... took first place in the 4x800-meter relay at the 2005 state championships... placed second in the 4x800-meter relay at the state championships in 2006 and track team placed second at state championships in Full name is Colleen Johanna Standridge... born June 28, daughter of Greg and Jo-Ann Standridge... majoring in business. 11 Standridge s Collegiate Bests 6K. 15:16.31 (Belmont Opener - 9/4/09) 18:09 (C-USA Championships - 11/1/10) 21:57.41 (NCAA South Regional - 11/14/09) Cr o s s Co u n t r y

29) at the NCAA South Regional C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Competed in five meets for the Blazers... ran a personal-best at the Belmont Opener (16:03.73).

6 Lucy Taylor Arlington Heights, Ill. Prospect HS Competed in five meets for the Blazers ran a personal-best at the C-USA Championship (18:49) improved her personal-best 6K time by almost two minutes (22:59.29) at the NCAA South Regional C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Competed in five meets for the Blazers... ran a personal-best at the Belmont Opener (16:03.73)... recorded a 17th-place finish at the Furman Invitational with a time of 20: ran a personal-best 6K (24.52) at the Roy Griak Invitational... C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Saw limited action, running in only three meets... set a new personal best in run after posting a time of 19:31.65 at the Louisville Classic... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. UAB Track & Field Highlights Finished the 800 meters in 2:23.16 to place eighth at the Southern Invitational... crossed the line in 1:23.79 in the 500 meters at the Tiger Paw Invitational... recorded a season-best in the 800 meters (2:16.02) at the Vanderbilt Invitational. Ran both cross country and track at Prospect in Prospect, Ill.... named to the all-conference cross country team in 2005 and high school cross country squad won the 2006 and 2007 division championship... high school track team won the division championships from was a four-time state qualifier in 4x800-meter relay, placing second in... in was a state qualifier in 800 and 1,600 meters... holds the school record in the distance medley relay, 800 meters and 4x800-meter relay... holds high school indoor records in 800 meters, 1,600 meters and 4x800-meter relay... was a conference All-Academic senior. Full name is Lucy Eloise Taylor... born Dec. 20, daughter of Alison and Paul Taylor... majoring in business. 12 Taylor s Collegiate Bests 6K. 16:03.73 (Belmont Opener - 9/4/09) 18:49 (C-USA Championships - 11/1/10) 22:59.29 (NCAA South Regional - 11/13/10) Cr o s s Co u n t r y

31 at the NCAA South Regional earned the C-USA Academic Medal Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Ran in all six meets for the Blazers... opened the season with a personalbest (15:20.

7 Kristina Vaughn Madison, Ala. Bob Jones HS Ran in all six meets for the Blazers placed in the top 10 (19:03.02) to help UAB take the title at the Samford Invitational crossed the line in 17:51 for a personal-best at the C-USA Championships improved her 6K time to 21:39.31 at the NCAA South Regional earned the C-USA Academic Medal Commissioner s Honor Roll selection. Ran in all six meets for the Blazers... opened the season with a personalbest (15:20.79) at the Belmont Opener... placed fourth at the Earl Jacoby Memorial with a time of 19:11... crossed the line in 19:15.15 at the Furman Invitational to take fourth... clocked a personal-best 6K time of 22:01.48 at the NCAA Regional... selected to the C-USA AllAcademic Team... C-USA Academic Medal recipient... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll. Ran in six meets for the Blazers... set a personal-best time of at the Walt Disney Classic... named to the C-USA Commissioner s Honor Roll and was awarded the C-USA Commissioner s Academic Medal. UAB Track & Field Highlights Set a career-best mile time of 5:09.91 at the Tyson Invitational... registered a 11:19.17, a new meet record, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Southern Invitational... finished second in the 1,500 meters (4:36.75) at the Twilight Invitational... named to the C-USA All-Academic Team. Attended Bob Jones in Madison, Ala.... coached by Robin Gaines... was named to the all-state cross country team in was an all-metro and all-section selection in cross country and track in was named to the all-state outdoor track team in... holds school records in the 800 meters, 4x400-meter relay, 4x800-meter relay and. Full name is Kristina Marie Vaughn... born June 8, daughter of Jason and Sandra Vaughn... majoring in biology. Vaughn s Collegiate Bests 6K 13 15:20.79 (Belmont Opener - 9/4/09) 17:51 (C-USA Championships 11/1/10) 21:39.31 (NCAA South Regional 11/13/10) Cr o s s Co u n t r y

Sarah Hudak Junior Manchester, England Loughborough University Loughborough University Transferred to UAB after competing two years for Loughborough University in Manchester, England will compete as

80 time for a first-place finish at the 2011 North of England League Division 2WC 1,500 meter race finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at the English Schools Athletics Championships.

8 Sarah Hudak Junior Manchester, England Loughborough University Loughborough University Transferred to UAB after competing two years for Loughborough University in Manchester, England will compete as a junior in eligibility... coached by Bill Foster placed first in the 800 meters (2:22.30) at the 2011 North of England League Division 2WC clocked a 4:48.80 time for a first-place finish at the 2011 North of England League Division 2WC 1,500 meter race finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at the English Schools Athletics Championships. Full name is Sarah Hudak born Feb. 18, 1990 daughter of Peter and Susan Hudak has two brothers, 18-year-old twins, Joseph and James majoring in clinical nutrition as a graduate student. Kristie Leybourne Freshman Poulton-Le-Fylde, England Baines School Attended Baines School in Poulton-Le-Fylde, England coached by Stan Taylor finished first in the 1,500 meters at the Lancashire County Championships in 2011 (4:44.50), (4:42.50) and 2007 (4:47.60) ran for the U20 Sale Harrier Manchester/Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde in 2011 member of the U20 Newham & Essex Beagles/Blackpool Wyre & Fylde represented North England and finished 10th at the Home Countries Cross Country Championships. Full name is Kristie Ann Leybourne born May 3, 1992 daughter of Philip and Susan Leybourne has one brother, Hayden (13) and one sister, Abi (21) majoring in psychology Cr o s s Co u n t r y

school as the most valuable player in cross country and track and field four-straight years placed eighth in the 1,500 meters at the AAU Junior Olympics in received her high school s Outstanding

9 Jenna Wesley Freshman Griffin, Ga. Spaulding HS Attended Spaulding coached by Dolores Owen two-time GHSA Class 4-AAA state title winner in the 800 meters in and 2011 finished fourth in the 1,600 meters as a senior selected by her high school as the most valuable player in cross country and track and field four-straight years placed eighth in the 1,500 meters at the AAU Junior Olympics in received her high school s Outstanding Freshman Award earned the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award from the Georgia Women in Sports Organization. Full name is Jenna Brooke Wesley born Dec. 19, 1992 daughter of Doug and Sharon Wesley has one brother, John (15) majoring in education. Kara Woods Freshman Montgomery, Ala. LAMP HS Notes: Kara competed with the 2011 UAB track and field team. She finished among UAB s top three in the 500 meters (1:24.31) and in the top five in the 600 meters (1:47.19). The fall 2011 season will be her first with the cross country team. Attended LAMP Magnet in Montgomery, Ala.... was a member of the Class AAA state champion 400-meter relay team in and... finished as the runner-up in the 400 meters at the state meet in both and... was the senior class president and president of the government club. Full name is Kara Alexis Woods... born Nov. 25, daughter of Darryl and Janet Woods... has a younger sister, Kayla (17)... majoring in criminal justice Cr o s s Co u n t r y

o h i o s t a t e b u c k e y e s chuck merzbacher

o h i o s t a t e b u c k e y e s chuck merzbacher chuck merzbacher HEAD COACH 15th Season at Ohio State Minnesota 87 Now in his 15th season as the head coach of the Ohio State women s tennis team, Chuck Merzbacher is leading the Buckeyes back into national