CLINTON, Miss. — The nationally recognized Mississippi College cross country team is excited to release the much-anticipated 2023 schedule. With a series of ambitious goals, both the men's and women's teams are setting their sights on making another run for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships.
This announcement comes on the heels of a historic couple of seasons for Mississippi College. In 2021, both teams made history by qualifying full teams for the NCAA Division II National Championship.
Last season, the men's team outdid themselves as it finished 12th at the National Championships, marking the highest finish in program history. Standout performer Jan Lukas Becker added to the milestone with an eighth-place finish, the best individual performance to date. The women's team did not field a full squad at last year's National Championships, but were represented by 5K and 6K school record holder Jazmin Hernandez, who went on to finish 114th overall at the national meet.
With the potential of both teams to qualify for the National Championships this year, the 2023 season promises thrilling competition and high stakes.
The season opener for the Choctaws, aptly named "The Opener," is slated for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, hosted at the home turf of Choctaw Trails. Last year, both men's and women's teams clinched the team title at this exciting event, where 10-15 local teams will compete in a vibrant atmosphere.
The first travel meet for the Choctaws will be the Southern Stampede in Joplin, Mo., hosted by Missouri Southern State University on Saturday, Sept. 16. The aim for this competition will be to get a first-hand preview of the 2023 National Championship course whilst also facing off against national-level competition.
This will be followed by a participation in the prestigious Live in the Lou Classic on Sept. 30 in Louisville, Ky. — a meet that saw many school records fall for the Choctaws back in 2021, as the men's team finish eighth and the women's 35th in the elite Gold Division.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, the Choctaws will then journey to the University of Alabama in Huntsville for the UAH Chargers Invitational, offering a preview of the Gulf South Conference Championship course. The event promises intense competition from not only within the GSC, but also from the south, southeast, and central regions.
They will return home to host the annual Watson Collegiate Classic on Friday, Oct. 13, entering the meet as defending champions for both the men's and women's teams.
The team will then travel back to Huntsville, Ala. for the 2023 GSC Cross Country Championships, where the men's and women's teams both enter as the defending runner-ups, on Saturday, Oct. 21.
The Choctaws will subsequently set their sights on the 2023 NCAA Division II South Region Cross Country Championships, hosted by the University of Montevallo, on Saturday, Nov. 4. This meet serves as a qualifier for the National Championships, where the Choctaws need to secure a top-three finish for an automatic qualification.
The much-anticipated 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships is scheduled to be held on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Missouri Southern State in Joplin, Mo.
