Eastern Florida State College Cross Country Teams Ready for FCSAA Championships

The men's 8K race will begin at 8 a.m., women's at 9 a.m.

BREVARD COUNTY • FLORIDA – The Eastern Florida State College women’s cross country team will compete in the FCSAA Championships Friday morning at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

The Titans are ranked 21st in the latest USTFCCCA/NJCAA Division II coaches poll and are coming off a second-place finish at the FGC Invitational in Lake City.

“I am optimistic about tomorrow. I think Rori (Pandolfini) is going to have a great day as I have seen a big fire in her since our last outing at Lake City, which did not go so well for her. She has been laser focused the past couple of weeks,” Eastern Florida State College women’s cross country coach Doug Butler said. “Maddie (Lusk) and Ember (Michaels) are locked in as well and with our front three running very well, it will come down to how well those two can hang with Gulf Coast 4 and 5. Weather looks to be in the low 50s so it should be a fast morning.”

Eastern Florida State College is one of 11 teams competing in the Division II race and it should be a very competitive race as defending champion Daytona State College comes in as the favorites and are ranked sixth in the national poll. Gulf Coast State College is tied for 12th in the poll with Pasco-Hernando State College ranked 22nd.

Florida Gateway, the Florida State College at Jacksonville and Lake Sumter State College will all be competing and are receiving votes in the national poll.

The women’s 5K race will begin at 9 a.m. in Tallahassee. The top teams will advance to the NJCAA Division II National Championships in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

The Eastern Florida State College men’s cross country team will compete in the FCSAA Championships on Friday morning at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee.

The Titans come into the meet ranked 20th in the latest USTFCCCA/NJCAA Division II coaches poll and are coming off a second place finish at the FGC Invitational.

Eastern Florida State College is one of six teams running for the Division II title and will be a competitive race as four of the teams are ranked nationally and a fifth is receiving votes.

Daytona State College comes in as the favorite and defending champion. The Falcons are ranked seventh in the latest poll while Pasco-Hernando State College is 10^th, the Florida State College at Jacksonville is 23^rd and Lake Sumter State College is receiving votes.

The Titans have been led by Wyatt Pittman who placed eighth overall at the FGC Invitational. Morgan Vici is the defending champion in the Division I race and returns looking for another big run on Friday.

“I am very pleased with Wyatt and him leading the guys to tell them to try and hang with the Pasco pack.  Pasco beat us pretty handily at Lake City so our goal is to try and close that gap a little tomorrow,” Eastern Florida State College men’s cross country coach Doug Butler said. “Jaiden will have a better day tomorrow than Lake City and I expect Noah to race like his workouts. If we run to our capability, we will be fine.”

The men’s 8K race will begin at 8 a.m. in Tallahassee. The top finishers will advance to the NJCAA Division II National Championship on November 8 in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

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