Cross Country to Host NCAA Division III East Regionals Saturday
For the first time in Suffolk University and program history, the Rams will host a NCAA post-season event as the Suffolk men’s and women’s cross country program will serve as host for the NCAA Division III East Regional Cross Country Championships this Saturday, Nov. 13 at Franklin Park in Boston.
BOSTON – For the first time in Suffolk University and program history, the Rams will host a NCAA post-season event as the Suffolk men's and women's cross country program will serve as host for the NCAA Division III East Regional Cross Country Championships this Saturday, Nov. 13 at Franklin Park in Boston.
Approximately 40 teams will converge in Jamaica Plain with the men's 8k race set for an 11 a.m. start with the women's 6k following at 12:30 p.m.
SOCIAL SAYINGS
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SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.
Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.
For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.
MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
For everything you need to know about the 2021 NCAA Division III East Regional Championships visit the tournament central page on GoSuffolkRams.com here.
EVENT SCHEDULE
9:00 AM – Course Opens
10:35 AM – National Anthem
11:00 AM – Men's 8k
12:30 PM – Women's 6k
1:45 PM – Awards Ceremony
THE COURSE
The men and women will each be competing in the regionals race on the courses at Franklin Park. A map of the men's 8k can be found here, with the women's 6k outlined here.
TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST
The NCAA DIII East Regional is one of the most competitive in the country.
On the women's side there five program ranked in the top 26 nationally in No. 11 MIT, No. 14 Tufts, No. 16 Bates, No. 24 Wellesley, No. 26 Brandeis and WPI rounds out the national poll in 35th.
A quartet of men's teams are in the latest national poll highlighted by No. 3 MIT with No. 17 Colby, No. 26 Tufts and No. 32 Bates set to race Saturday as well.
MORE INFO: USTFCCCA National & Regional Rankings
REGIONAL REALIGNMENT
In July 2021, the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country Committee, as well as the Division III Championships Committee, approved a 10-region realignment model for cross country, which went into effect Sept. 1, 2021.
With the new regions, the year's East Regional is in its first year of existence.
MORE INFO: NCAA DIII XC Regional Map | NCAA DIII XC Regional Breakdown
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS
With the new 10 region set-up, there will be one automatic qualifier at each region handed out to the top place team.
AT-LARGE BIDS
Teams who do not top their respective fields Saturday will still have a chance to make the NCAAs as 22 at-large bids for squads will be awarded. Additionally the top seven individuals from each regional, 70 total, who did not qualify with their team will earn a bid to the national championships as well.
The entire 2021 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championship field will be announced on NCAA.com on Sunday, Nov. 14 before 3 p.m.
ALL-NEW ENGLAND UP FOR GRABS
There are two all-region teams, one given the by the USTFCCCA and the other handed out by the DIII New England Association.
In order to garner USTFCCCA All-East Region, an individual must place in the top 35 Saturday, while the top 20 finishers at Franklin Park will be awarded All-New England from the DIII New England Association.
RAMS RUNNERS
Suffolk is sending a hefty contingent to Franklin Park. The men have 10 runners entered, while the women have eight signed-up to compete.
RAMS REGIONAL HISTORY
Suffolk's men's team will run at the event for the third straight time and fifth time in program history. The Rams, who debuted on the regional scene in 2009, had their best team showing in 2019 with a 25th-place performance.
The women on the other hand have raced in five regionals. In 2019, Suffolk's women put their best regional race together with a 28th-place finish.
RAMS RANKINGS
In the week seven edition of the USTFCCCA Regional Coaches' Rankings, Suffolk's men's stayed in the poll for their seventh straight week, this time coming in at ninth, while the Rams' women make the program's debut at 10th in the East.
MORE READING: Men's Cross Country Moves Up in USTFCCCA East Regional Rankings | Women's Cross Country Makes Program Debut in USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
LAST TIME OUT [ MEN ]
Matyas Csiki-Fejer shined and Suffolk men's cross country made itself known in its first every Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship as the Rams' senior won the individual medal and the team placed second Oct. 30 at Western New England.
MORE READING: Csiki-Fejer Individual Champ, Men's Cross Country CCC Championship Runner-Ups
LAST TIME OUT [ WOMEN ]
History was made Oct. 30 as Suffolk women's cross country ran a memorable first-ever Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship race as the Rams surprised the field and claimed the 2021 CCC crown at Western New England.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Captures CCC Championship
ALL-LEAGUE ACCOLADES
For their efforts at the CCC Championships Oct. 30, a half dozen Rams – three men and three women – took home All-CCC honors. The all-league recognition is performance based and goes to the top 15 runners.
Matyas Csiki-Fejer (1st), Nic Malm (4th) and Thomas Novy (15th) represented the blue-and-gold men, while Gwen Koziara (4th), Sydney Fogg (5th) and Skylar Spanbauer (11th).
Csiki-Fejer was a major award winner as well. The senior won the individual CCC Champion title to be named CCC Runner of the Year. Off the course, Csiki-Fejer collected CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, given to a student-athlete who is either graduating or has exhausted their eligibility and has excelled both academically and athletically.
Head coach Will Feldman, meanwhile, was voted by his peers as the 2021 CCC Women's Coach of the Year.
MORE READING: Csiki-Fejer CCC Runner of the Year & Scholar-Athlete, Three Rams All-CCC | Feldman CCC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year, Rams See Three Earn All-CCC
RAMS RECOGNITION
After winning the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) individual crown, Matyas Csiki-Fejer was honored as the CCC Runner of the Week Nov. 1.
MORE READING: Csiki-Fejer Grabs Fifth CCC Runner of the Week
SUFFOLK SOUNDS
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Pending Saturday's showing, Suffolk's season will either continue onto the 2021 NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships, which are on tap for next Saturday, Nov. 20 in Louisville, Kentucky, at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park or cap off the Rams first campaign in the CCC.
