Year after year the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic has proven to be one
of the premier cross country events in the south. This year will be no
exception. On September 13th, 2008 at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in
Memphis, TN the night time running event will see some of the top runners
in the country performing. Spectators will witness six top-caliber races
starting at 6 pm with the junior varsity high school girls followed by the
JV high school boys, high school girls, high school boys, college women
and college men. Races will start at 40 minute intervals and are run on a
very fast spectator-friendly course with the finish located inside the
Mike Rose soccer stadium.
Bill Hoffman, race director and founder, expects over 2000 high school and
college runners from throughout the southeast, midwest and California to
converge on Memphis. Nationally ranked high school teams including Hoover
High from Alabama, West Plains High from Missouri, St. Agnes Academy from
Memphis, and Daviess County HS from KY will be on hand along with college
powerhouses Harding University, Univ. of Alabama-Birmingham, San Jose
State Univ., Univ. of Alabama-Huntsville, and Eastern Kentucky University.
Individual stars competing in this year's event will include former high
school girls national cross country champion Kathy Kroeger (Independence
HS, TN), Katlyn Will (defending Twilight champ from Corinth HS, MS), Casey
Nobert (St. Agnes Academy, TN) the defending TN state cross country
champion (Div. IIAA), and Katherine Steinman (Tupelo HS, MS) the defending
class 5A MS state champion. In the boys high school race expect to see
defending AL state cross country champion and nationally ranked miler
Patrick McGregor (Hoover HS, AL) to be tested by Nathan Hall (Tuplelo HS,
MS) the defending MS 5A state cross country champion. Strong performances
will also be expected from William James (Cordova HS, TN) and Kyle Mclarty
(Collierville HS, TN), two of the top returning runners from the state of
Tennessee.
The college races should yield some of the fastest times in the country.
The strong women's field will include multi-defending champion Whitney
Kerth (UALR), Stephani Gammon (UAB), Jessica Ortman (Univ. of KY), Bertha
Castillo (Austin Peay), Alli McMaster (Eastern KY), and Nisha Richardson
and Jenna Hicks (San Jose St.). On the men's side the race is equally as
loaded. Leading the way will be last year's champ Daniel Kiwa (Harding
Univ.), Hillary Maiyo (Union Univ.), Stephen Hill (Christian Brothers
Univ.), Sean Dundon and David Haefele (San Jose St.), Julius Kosgei
(Harding Univ.), Joseph Maina (Eastern KY) .
Alltrax Timing will manage the timing and post results, while Flotrack
will conduct live interviews and race coverage for posting on the
internet. For more information please visit www.alltraxtiming.com or
www.gobucsgo.com and follow the link to the Brooks Memphis Twilight
Classic.