LITTLE ROCK – Director of Track and Field/Cross Country
J.P. Behnke has announced Little Rock's 2019 cross country schedule for both the Trojan men and women's programs. Little Rock will compete in five regular season meets, with the goal of reaching the NCAA South Central Regional in mid-November.
2019 Little Rock Cross Country Schedule
"I designed this year's schedule to allow for us to peak at the end of the season when it counts the most," Behnke said. "We have a four-week window leading into the Arkansas Chili Pepper without a race to get in some very solid training. After the Chili Pepper meet, we race in Little Rock, which will be a great late-season test to see where we're at leading into the Sun Belt Championship and the South Central Regional Championship."
The 2019 schedule begins on Saturday, August 31 when the Trojans compete in the Memphis Brooks Twilight Classic, one of the top early-season meets, which is unique in that it is run under the lights, beginning at 8 p.m. The following week, Little Rock makes the short trip to Conway for the UCA Cross Country Challenge on Saturday, September 7.
Behnke's four-week training period then begins for the duration of September, culminating with the 31st Annual Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival in Fayetteville. Two weeks later, the Trojans hold their annual home meet at Rebsamen Golf Club, beginning with the men's race at 10 a.m. before the women take to the course at 10:45 a.m.
The home meet will be the final tune-up for Little Rock before the Sun Belt Conference Championship Saturday, November 2 in Hampton, Georgia. Little Rock hopes its performance on the year will help the Trojans qualify for the 2019 NCAA South Central Regional, being held Friday, November 15 up the road in Fayetteville.
Getting set to begin his second season in Little Rock, Behnke will have a handful of returners on both the men's and women's side, as well as a number of talented newcomers, as the Trojans look to begin a new era in 2019.
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