Saturday, October 28
Philadelphia, Pa. / Belmont Plateau
9:50 AM CT
SMU
vs
American Athletic Conference
SMU Heads To Philadelphia For American Athletic Conference Championships
Oct 24 | Cross Country
Mustangs Set To Defend Conference Title Saturday At 9:50 A.M. CT
Oct. 24, 2017
After two weeks of training, the SMU cross country team begins the postseason Saturday at the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championships at the Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The championships start with the men's 8-kilometer race at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT, and will be followed by the women's 6K race at 10:50 a.m. ET/9:50 a.m. CT. The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m. ET/10:40 a.m. CT. The men's and women's race will be streamed live on the American Digital Network.
Last season, the SMU picked up its fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the last nine seasons. The Mustangs placed six in the top-20 and finished with 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points.
SMU is ranked No. 4 in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Central Regional Poll. The Mustangs will face four regionally ranked teams from the conference, including Tulsa (sixth – Midwest), Connecticut (8th – Northeast) Tulane (10th – South Central) and Temple (12th – Mid-Atlantic).
The Mustangs return eight letterwinners from last season's conference championship team. SMU is led by sophomore duo Charlotte-Tara Murphy and Hannah Miller, who each garnered all-conference and all-region honors in 2016.
For the latest 2017 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship information visit Championship Central and check @AmericanXCTrack on Twitter.
MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 4K TIMES
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MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 5K TIMES
MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 6K TIMES
SMU INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
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LAST TIME OUT AS A TEAM – MILLER PACES SMU AT PRE-NATIONAL INVITATIONAL (Oct. 14, 2017)
In just her second meet of the season, Hannah Miller was SMU's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. With 297 competitors in the field, Miller placed 45th overall on the 6 kilometer course with a time of 20 minutes, 41.8 seconds. The meet served as a precursor for the NCAA Championships with 11 nationally-ranked teams competing. The Mustangs finished 23rd with 649 points, ahead of Missouri (666) and Texas (677). Missouri is ranked No. 24 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches' Poll, while Texas is one spot ahead of SMU at No. 3 in the USTFCCCA South Central Region. No. 2 Oregon won the meet with 63 points, followed by No. 1 Colorado with 91 and No. 9 Arkansas with 148.
MURPHY NAMED AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FEMALE ATHELTE OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 26, 2017)
Charlotte-Tara Murphy was named the American Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Week. For the third consecutive meet, Murphy was SMU's top-finisher after placing fifth at the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational last Saturday in Earlysville, Virginia. Murphy finished in the top-20 on the 5 kilometer course with a time of 17 minutes, 39.7 seconds. The Bury St. Edmunds, England, native improved four spots from a year ago when she placed ninth at Panorama Farms. Murphy also finished in the top-10 in the Mustangs previous two meets after winning the 5K (17:46.3) at the Gerald Richey Invitational on Sept. 16 and placing eighth in the 4K (13:44.5) at the Bear Twilight Invitational on Sept. 1. Murphy won her first weekly award this season and second of her career. Last season, Murphy garnered weekly honors after winning the 5K (17:23.7) at the Gerald Richey Invitational on Sept. 10, 2016.
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LAST TIME AT AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (OCT. 29, 2016)
After a two-year hiatus, the SMU cross country team is back atop the conference after winning the 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship at the Voice of America MetroPark in West Chester, Ohio. It was a total team effort by the Mustangs who placed six in the top-20. SMU recorded 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points. The Mustangs picked up their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the past nine years. Led by Head Coach Cathy Casey, SMU earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors garnering her sixth accolade since her arrival to the Hilltop. SMU had four runners make the all-conference team led by Hannah Miller's runner-up performance. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the top SMU finisher for the third-consecutive meet finishing the 6-kilometer race in a time of 20 minutes, 23.7 seconds. Her classmate Charlotte-Tara Murphy was also in the front pack and was the second SMU finisher with a time of 20:44.1 to finish fifth. Holly Archer and Agnes Sjostrom picked up key points for the Mustangs by placing sixth and 15th, respectively. Archer finished in a time of 20:54.5 to place one spot better than she did a year ago, while Sjostrom had one of her best races of the season to finish in a time of 21:24.7.
MUSTANGS IN THE USTFCCCA REGIONAL POLL
SMU is ranked fourth in the latest USTFCCCA South Central Regional Coaches' Poll. SMU is the highest ranking American Athletic Conference team in its respective regional rankings with Tulsa ranked sixth in the Midwest and Connecticut at eighth in the Northeast. Tulane is ranked 10th in the South Central, while Temple is 12th in the Mid-Atlantic.
M&M
In her second year on the Hilltop, Charlotte-Tara Murphy has again been one of the Mustangs top finishers this season. Muprhy has placed in the top-10 in the first three meets in 2017, including an eighth-place in the 4K at the Bear Twilight Invitational (Sept. 1) with a school record time of 13:44.5. Murphy led the Mustangs to a team title at the Gerald Richey Invitational claiming the individual title in the 5K with a time of 17:46.3. Murphy also finished in the top-10 at the Virginia/Panorama Invitational with a fifth-place finish in the 5K with a time of 17:39.7. She was named the American Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Week (Sept. 26) after leading the Mustangs to a third-place finish at Panorama Farms. Murphy was also one of SMU's top finishers a year ago in her first season on the Hilltop as she placed in the top-20 in five of the six meets she competed in. She was the Mustangs top finisher in the first two meets of 2016, including a win at the Gerald Richey Invitational (5K) in a personal best time of 17:23.8. Murphy finished last season with a fifth-place showing at the conference championship and 19th place finish at the regional.
In just her second meet of the season, Hannah Miller was SMU's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. With 297 competitors in the field, Miller placed 45th overall in the 6K with a time of 20 minutes, 41.8 seconds. Miller competed in her first meet of the season at Panorama Farms after a long track season that carried over into the summer following her freshman year. Competing for New Zealand, she placed 15th in the 5K at the World University Games in August. Miller was the Mustangs second finisher behind Murphy placing 13th in a time of 17:39.7. She is one of the top returning Mustangs after a freshman campaign in 2016 that culminated with a trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championship. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the first SMU representative at the NCAA Championship since Agnes Sjostrom competed in the meet in 2014. Miller was the team's top finisher in the last five meets of the season, including a fourth-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional. At the conference championship, Miller earned runner-up honors to help propel the Mustangs to their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the last nine years.
IN CASE(Y) YOU DIDN'T KNOW
Cathy Casey has been the head of the Mustangs' cross country program since 2005 and has played a pivotal role in the programs swift rise to national prominence. She has led the Mustangs to four league titles in the past six years and six in the last nine years. During each of the championship seasons, she earned Coach of the Year honors. Last season, SMU won the conference title after placing six in the top-20 to record 45 points and edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two points (47).
SMU TEAM CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (8)
HILLTOP BACK ON TOP
The SMU cross country team won the American Athletic Conference Championship at the Voice of America MetroPark last season. The Mustangs placed six in the top-20. SMU recorded 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two points (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points. The Mustangs picked up their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the past nine years. SMU had four runners make the all-conference team, led by Hannah Miller's runner-up performance. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the top Mustangs finisher for the third-consecutive meet, finishing the 6-kilometer race in a time of 20 minutes, 23.7 seconds. Her classmate Charlotte-Tara Murphy was also in the front pack and was the second SMU finisher with a time of 20:44.1 to finish fifth. Holly Archer and Agnes Sjostrom picked up key points for the Mustangs by placing sixth and 15th, respectively. Archer finished in a time of 20:54.5 to place one spot better than she did in 2015, while Sjostrom had one of her best races of the season to finish in a time of 21:24.7.
UP NEXT
The Mustangs return to action at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships Friday, Nov. 10, in College Station, Texas.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU Track & Field Team on Twitter at @SMUTrackFieldXC, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUTrackFieldXC, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUTrackandXC. Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.
Meet Notes | Meet Info | Meet History
Live Results | Live Stream | Championship Program
Venue | Course Map
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Live Results | Live Stream | Championship Program
Venue | Course Map
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
After two weeks of training, the SMU cross country team begins the postseason Saturday at the 2017 American Athletic Conference Championships at the Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The championships start with the men's 8-kilometer race at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT, and will be followed by the women's 6K race at 10:50 a.m. ET/9:50 a.m. CT. The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m. ET/10:40 a.m. CT. The men's and women's race will be streamed live on the American Digital Network.
Last season, the SMU picked up its fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the last nine seasons. The Mustangs placed six in the top-20 and finished with 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points.
SMU is ranked No. 4 in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) South Central Regional Poll. The Mustangs will face four regionally ranked teams from the conference, including Tulsa (sixth – Midwest), Connecticut (8th – Northeast) Tulane (10th – South Central) and Temple (12th – Mid-Atlantic).
The Mustangs return eight letterwinners from last season's conference championship team. SMU is led by sophomore duo Charlotte-Tara Murphy and Hannah Miller, who each garnered all-conference and all-region honors in 2016.
For the latest 2017 American Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship information visit Championship Central and check @AmericanXCTrack on Twitter.
MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 4K TIMES
| Rank | Name | Year | Time |
| 1. | Charlotte-Tara Murphy | 2017 | 13:44.5 |
| 2. | Marlene Gomez-Islinger | 2017 | 13:46.5 |
| 3. | Karoline Skatteboe | 2014 | 13:48.4 |
| 4. | Agnes Sjostrom | 2013 | 13:49.6 |
| 5. | Tova Magnusson | 2013 | 13:51.0 |
| 6. | Holly Archer | 2016 | 13:54.1 |
| 7. | Karin van Rooyen | 2002 | 13:55.0 |
MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 5K TIMES
| Rank | Name | Year | Time |
| 1. | Silje Fjortoft | 2011 | 16:07.0 |
| 2. | Agnes Sjostrom | 2014 | 16:17.7 |
| 3. | Shanoah Souza | 2014 | 16:47.4 |
| 4. | Ashlee Powers | 2012 | 16:48.5 |
| 5. | Mary Alenbratt | 2012 | 16:53.0 |
| 6. | Holly Archer | 2014 | 16:53.3 |
| 7. | Melanie Stemper | 2013 | 17:09.7 |
| 8. | Hannah Miller | 2016 | 17:10.3 |
MUSTANGS ALL-TIME TOP 6K TIMES
| Rank | Name | Year | Time |
| 1. | Silje Fjortoft | 2011 | 19:58.1 |
| 2. | Agnes Sjostrom | 2014 | 20:11.0 |
| 3. | Shanoah Souza | 2015 | 20:20.7 |
| 4. | Karin van Rooyen | 2002 | 20:22.0 |
| 5. | Tova Magnusson | 2013 | 20:23.2 |
| 6. | Hannah Miller | 2016 | 20:23.7 |
| 7. | Karoline Skatteboe | 2015 | 20:36.5 |
| 8. | Emily Field | 2002 | 20:37.0 |
| 9. | Melanie Stemper | 2013 | 20:43.9 |
| 10. | Charlotte-Tara Murphy | 2016 | 20:44.1 |
SMU INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
| Year | Name | Conference |
| 2011 | Silje Fjortoft | Conference USA |
| 2008 | Silje Fjortoft | Conference USA |
| 2006 | Rachael Forish | Conference USA |
| 2002 | Karin van Rooyen | Western Athletic Conference |
| 1995 | Katie Swords | Southwest Conference |
| 1994 | Katie Swords | Southwest Conference |
LAST TIME OUT AS A TEAM – MILLER PACES SMU AT PRE-NATIONAL INVITATIONAL (Oct. 14, 2017)
In just her second meet of the season, Hannah Miller was SMU's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. With 297 competitors in the field, Miller placed 45th overall on the 6 kilometer course with a time of 20 minutes, 41.8 seconds. The meet served as a precursor for the NCAA Championships with 11 nationally-ranked teams competing. The Mustangs finished 23rd with 649 points, ahead of Missouri (666) and Texas (677). Missouri is ranked No. 24 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches' Poll, while Texas is one spot ahead of SMU at No. 3 in the USTFCCCA South Central Region. No. 2 Oregon won the meet with 63 points, followed by No. 1 Colorado with 91 and No. 9 Arkansas with 148.
MURPHY NAMED AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FEMALE ATHELTE OF THE WEEK (SEPT. 26, 2017)
Charlotte-Tara Murphy was named the American Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Week. For the third consecutive meet, Murphy was SMU's top-finisher after placing fifth at the Virginia/Panorama Farms Invitational last Saturday in Earlysville, Virginia. Murphy finished in the top-20 on the 5 kilometer course with a time of 17 minutes, 39.7 seconds. The Bury St. Edmunds, England, native improved four spots from a year ago when she placed ninth at Panorama Farms. Murphy also finished in the top-10 in the Mustangs previous two meets after winning the 5K (17:46.3) at the Gerald Richey Invitational on Sept. 16 and placing eighth in the 4K (13:44.5) at the Bear Twilight Invitational on Sept. 1. Murphy won her first weekly award this season and second of her career. Last season, Murphy garnered weekly honors after winning the 5K (17:23.7) at the Gerald Richey Invitational on Sept. 10, 2016.
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LAST TIME AT AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (OCT. 29, 2016)
After a two-year hiatus, the SMU cross country team is back atop the conference after winning the 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship at the Voice of America MetroPark in West Chester, Ohio. It was a total team effort by the Mustangs who placed six in the top-20. SMU recorded 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points. The Mustangs picked up their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the past nine years. Led by Head Coach Cathy Casey, SMU earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors garnering her sixth accolade since her arrival to the Hilltop. SMU had four runners make the all-conference team led by Hannah Miller's runner-up performance. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the top SMU finisher for the third-consecutive meet finishing the 6-kilometer race in a time of 20 minutes, 23.7 seconds. Her classmate Charlotte-Tara Murphy was also in the front pack and was the second SMU finisher with a time of 20:44.1 to finish fifth. Holly Archer and Agnes Sjostrom picked up key points for the Mustangs by placing sixth and 15th, respectively. Archer finished in a time of 20:54.5 to place one spot better than she did a year ago, while Sjostrom had one of her best races of the season to finish in a time of 21:24.7.
MUSTANGS IN THE USTFCCCA REGIONAL POLL
SMU is ranked fourth in the latest USTFCCCA South Central Regional Coaches' Poll. SMU is the highest ranking American Athletic Conference team in its respective regional rankings with Tulsa ranked sixth in the Midwest and Connecticut at eighth in the Northeast. Tulane is ranked 10th in the South Central, while Temple is 12th in the Mid-Atlantic.
M&M
In her second year on the Hilltop, Charlotte-Tara Murphy has again been one of the Mustangs top finishers this season. Muprhy has placed in the top-10 in the first three meets in 2017, including an eighth-place in the 4K at the Bear Twilight Invitational (Sept. 1) with a school record time of 13:44.5. Murphy led the Mustangs to a team title at the Gerald Richey Invitational claiming the individual title in the 5K with a time of 17:46.3. Murphy also finished in the top-10 at the Virginia/Panorama Invitational with a fifth-place finish in the 5K with a time of 17:39.7. She was named the American Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Week (Sept. 26) after leading the Mustangs to a third-place finish at Panorama Farms. Murphy was also one of SMU's top finishers a year ago in her first season on the Hilltop as she placed in the top-20 in five of the six meets she competed in. She was the Mustangs top finisher in the first two meets of 2016, including a win at the Gerald Richey Invitational (5K) in a personal best time of 17:23.8. Murphy finished last season with a fifth-place showing at the conference championship and 19th place finish at the regional.
In just her second meet of the season, Hannah Miller was SMU's top finisher at the Pre-National Invitational at the E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky. With 297 competitors in the field, Miller placed 45th overall in the 6K with a time of 20 minutes, 41.8 seconds. Miller competed in her first meet of the season at Panorama Farms after a long track season that carried over into the summer following her freshman year. Competing for New Zealand, she placed 15th in the 5K at the World University Games in August. Miller was the Mustangs second finisher behind Murphy placing 13th in a time of 17:39.7. She is one of the top returning Mustangs after a freshman campaign in 2016 that culminated with a trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championship. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the first SMU representative at the NCAA Championship since Agnes Sjostrom competed in the meet in 2014. Miller was the team's top finisher in the last five meets of the season, including a fourth-place finish at the NCAA South Central Regional. At the conference championship, Miller earned runner-up honors to help propel the Mustangs to their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the last nine years.
IN CASE(Y) YOU DIDN'T KNOW
Cathy Casey has been the head of the Mustangs' cross country program since 2005 and has played a pivotal role in the programs swift rise to national prominence. She has led the Mustangs to four league titles in the past six years and six in the last nine years. During each of the championship seasons, she earned Coach of the Year honors. Last season, SMU won the conference title after placing six in the top-20 to record 45 points and edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two points (47).
SMU TEAM CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (8)
| Year | Conference | Point Total |
| 2016 | American Athletic Conference | 45 |
| 2013 | American Athletic Conference | 29 |
| 2012 | Conference USA | 38 |
| 2011 | Conference USA | 57 |
| 2009 | Conference USA | 28 |
| 2008 | Conference USA | 40 |
| 2004 | Western Athletic Conference | 30 |
| 1995 | Southwestern Conference | 27 |
HILLTOP BACK ON TOP
The SMU cross country team won the American Athletic Conference Championship at the Voice of America MetroPark last season. The Mustangs placed six in the top-20. SMU recorded 45 points to edge two-time defending champion Tulsa by two points (47). Memphis finished third with 96 points. The Mustangs picked up their fourth league title in the past six years and sixth in the past nine years. SMU had four runners make the all-conference team, led by Hannah Miller's runner-up performance. The Invercargill, New Zealand, native was the top Mustangs finisher for the third-consecutive meet, finishing the 6-kilometer race in a time of 20 minutes, 23.7 seconds. Her classmate Charlotte-Tara Murphy was also in the front pack and was the second SMU finisher with a time of 20:44.1 to finish fifth. Holly Archer and Agnes Sjostrom picked up key points for the Mustangs by placing sixth and 15th, respectively. Archer finished in a time of 20:54.5 to place one spot better than she did in 2015, while Sjostrom had one of her best races of the season to finish in a time of 21:24.7.
UP NEXT
The Mustangs return to action at the NCAA South Central Regional Championships Friday, Nov. 10, in College Station, Texas.
Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Mustangs by following SMU Track & Field Team on Twitter at @SMUTrackFieldXC, on Facebook at Facebook.com/SMUTrackFieldXC, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/SMUTrackandXC. Twitter at @SMUMustangs or Instagram at SMU.Mustangs.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Tuesday, October 06
Tuesday, October 06
Tuesday, October 06
Tuesday, October 06
