Lions Seek Regional Championship

MARS HILL, N.C.—Mars Hill's women's track and field will compete for the regional title when they head to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championships this Saturday in Charlotte.

The Lions are coming off a third-place finish in the 2013 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Championship, which was held two weeks ago. MHU enters the Regional Championship ranked ninth in the Southeast Region by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The women's 6K Championship race will take place at 10:30 a.m. at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.

Mars Hill runners competed on the same course at the Royals Pre-Region Challenge. The Lions placed 12th among Division II teams in the race.

Pacing the Lions are First-Team All-SAC performer Jessica Viscusi and Second-Team All-SAC runner Faith Trammell. Viscusi placed fifth overall in the conference championship and ran the second-fastest 5K time in school-history at the Royals Pre-Region Challenge. Trammell placed eighth in the SAC Championship meet and was an All-Region performer last season.

Heidi Hooker, Anje Kidd, Shelby Robinson, Elizabeth Klapmeyer and Savannah Hulbert have all finished among the Lions' top-five runners at various points this season. That depth could factor into Mars Hill's finish Saturday.

Last season, MHU placed 14th in the Southeast Regional Championship.  Trammell turned in an All-Region performance, placing 17th overall.

The top three teams in the region receive automatic-qualifying bids to the NCAA Division II National Championship, which will be held Nov. 23 in Spokane, Wash.

The McAlpine Creek Championship Cross Country course is located at 8711 Monroe Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28212. Tickets will be available for purchase the day of the race at the course entrance. Adult and student tickets are $2, with children under the age of 10 admitted free.