LAKELAND, Fla. – The 2024 Sunshine State Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships are slated for Friday, Oct. 25 at Holloway Park, and the Embry-Riddle squad will be running for the crown. The meet, hosted by Florida Southern is the first postseason race of the season, followed by the NCAA II South Region in two weeks (Nov. 9) in Huntsville, Ala., and the NCAA II National Championships on Nov. 23 in Sacramento, Calif.
 
ERAU has enjoyed a successful campaign, though marred by weather and schedule changes. After taking fourth place out of eight teams in the Holloway Collegiate XC Opener – the same course they will run on Friday – the Eagles wrapped up yet another strong showing at the home ERAU Cross Country Classic on Sept. 21. ERAU then saw the FSU Invite canceled from Hurricane Helene, before taking seventh place finish out of 23 teams in the Georgia Tech XC Invite on Oct. 4. Due to Hurricane Milton, the team's final tune-up before the SSC Championships, the UAH Invite in Huntsville, was canceled.
 
Mackenzie Keller looks to be the top Eagle finisher for the fourth consecutive race on Friday. The South Riding, Va., native set a program record in the 4.2K to open the season in Lakeland, and took home second place at the ERAU Classic, and yet another top-3 finish two weeks later at the Georgia Tech Invite. Pacing with her at the top was Taylor Roth, who earned All-SSC status last season as a freshman. Roth took home a top-10 finish at the Holloway Opener, finished No. 3 at the ERAU Classic, but missed the race at Georgia Tech.
 
With a smaller squad than usual, nearly all of the runners on the women's side are needed for points. Kendall Mathis has collected a top-10 finish this season, while Allegra Triner, Alaina Rider, Ravyn Edge and Emily Tubbs have all raced well to this point and are geared up for the SSC Crown.
 
Looking for their first-ever conference championship, the Eagle women will take to the course on Friday at 8:45 a.m.