Southland Conference becoming Cross Country Powerhouse!?

[Crazy Card Fan]

The preseason regional rankings for our region. Despite the loss of two all Americans the Cardinals are ranked 4th

SOUTH CENTRAL Region
Rank School Location Conference
2009 FINISH
1 Arkansas Fayetteville, Ark.   SEC 1
2 Texas Austin, Texas   Big 12 2
3 Texas A&M College Station,    Big 12 4
4 Lamar Beaumont, Texas   Southland 3
5 McNeese State La,              Southland 6
6 Stephen F. Austin   Southland 5
7 Baylor Waco, Texas   Big 12 7
8 Ark.-Little Rock Ark.           Sun Belt 8
9 Rice Houston, Texas           Conference USA 10
10 UTSA Texas           Southland 8
11 TCU Fort Worth, Texas   Mountain West
12 Houston Houston, Texas   Conference USA 13
13 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi   Corpus Christi, Texas Southland 12

[SgtRey]

Who's the coach?

[TexasTerror]

The SLC has always ranked well in XC...

You've got to remember how it (and track and field) is funded by many schools in this region - not well at all. A few schools fully fund the sport, but others do not...

Over the last 5-10 years, Lamar has put most of their T&F scholarship money into the distance runners, which has put them on the top of XC and hurt them in the indoor/outdoor season.

[bigred360]

With ther return of football I think a few of the skilled players may run for the track team too. I remember when Lamar had a football before there were a few guys that played football and ran track.

I remember a couple were good at the 100 and 200 meters. Then there is the are field events that can get better with athletes from the football team.

I'm sure there won't be a lot of 2 sport players but there might be a few.

[LumberCard]

[quote name="TexasTerror" post="836774" timestamp="1283430769"]
The SLC has always ranked well in XC...

You've got to remember how it (and track and field) is funded by many schools in this region - not well at all. A few schools fully fund the sport, but others do not...

Over the last 5-10 years, Lamar has put most of their T&F scholarship money into the distance runners, which has put them on the top of XC and hurt them in the indoor/outdoor season.
[/quote]

I know the belief is that LU has built up on distance runners and it has "hurt" them in the indoor/outdoor season, but that was only true a few years back. They have continually gotten better in all aspects of the "running sports", not just cross country. They have dominated the cross country side and have been very competitive. In 2007, 08 and 09 they finished fourth in the indoor season, in that same time they were dominating CC. Yes, the outdoor track season has not been quite as impressive, but that is mainly because Lu doesn't have the numbers in the jumps & throws that many of the other schools have. I think that will begin to change a little now that football is on campus, but you never know for sure. Point is, the Cards are producing better than one might think at first glance.

[TexasTerror]

[quote name="LumberCard" post="837694" timestamp="1283549111"]I know the belief is that LU has built up on distance runners and it has "hurt" them in the indoor/outdoor season, but that was only true a few years back. They have continually gotten better in all aspects of the "running sports", not just cross country. They have dominated the cross country side and have been very competitive. In 2007, 08 and 09 they finished fourth in the indoor season, in that same time they were dominating CC. Yes, the outdoor track season has not been quite as impressive, but that is mainly because Lu doesn't have the numbers in the jumps & throws that many of the other schools have. I think that will begin to change a little now that football is on campus, but you never know for sure. Point is, the Cards are producing better than one might think at first glance.[/quote]

Indoor season has less emphasis on the field events, if you ask me. SHSU loses significant points there and is stronger outdoors...

And even with Lamar putting more $$$ into the distance runners, they still have a significant funding advantage over most of the SLC in T&F. It should be no surprise that any TX schools in the top five, six in indoor track. You are getting worked up about being "competive" and #4. Outside of the job SLU has done, don't think the other schools have a legitimate shot from outside of Texas. That's not saying much...

[bigred360]

http://www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/m-xc/recaps/090410aae.html