UVI Men’s Cross Country Team Sets Sights on HBCUAC Championship
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, October 16, 2024 – The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) men's cross country team is set to compete at the 2024 Historical Black College and University Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Cross Country Championships hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
For the third straight season, the HBCUAC eight-kilometer championship race will be held at the Oakville Indian Mounds Cross Country Course in Danville, Alabama, on October 18 and will be streamed live on HBCU+.
Freshman Mark Hayes-Ayala will set the pace for UVI as he attempts to lead his team to an HBCUAC title. Hayes-Ayala has been the team's top runner throughout the season and looks to continue that trend in his first collegiate conference championship race.
The team's biggest surprise this season has been sophomore runner Rayhan Sabur, who will look to improve his time after his exceptional season debut in his last race at the Ave Maria Invitational.
In the preseason polls, UVI was predicted to finish 8th in the conference, but the five-man team is looking to open the eyes of all and establish itself as a program on the rise and eventually a championship contender.
"We finished 8th in the conference championship last year and as this program is building, we have to continue making steady progress," said head coach Dale Joseph. "I think we'll be able to move up a couple of spots in the final rankings despite being predicted to finish 8th again. We've worked hard all season towards the conference championship and the time for the results to be shown is now."
The HBCUAC Championships will be UVI's first time since competing at the Ave Maria Invitational on October 5. The team was scheduled to run at the Apalachee Regional Park in the Florida State Cross Country Invite, but the team's trip was canceled due to Hurricane Milton's impact on the state of Florida.