Women's cross country team ready for FCSAA Championships

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 21^st 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 12^th in the poll with Pasco-Hernando State College ranked 22^nd.

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.