AASU To Reinstate Men's Cross Country For 2009
SAVANNAH, Ga. - The Armstrong Atlantic State athletic department
announced today that it will reinstate the varsity sport of men's
cross country for the 2009 season, becoming the eleventh sport
sponsored by AASU.
Men's cross country will fulfill the NCAA requirement that each
school sponsor at least one men's and women's sport in the three
seasons of competition - fall, winter and spring. The Pirates
sponsored men's cross country through the 1999 season, when it was
dropped to make way for the reinstatement of the men's golf program
in 2000-01.
Since then, the NCAA has passed legislation requiring the three
sport sponsorship rule, and the addition of men's cross country
will bring the Pirates in full compliance. AASU has been operating
under a waiver allowing them to maintain their NCAA eligibility
since the legislation was passed.
The head coach for the men's cross country team will also serve as
the men's basketball head assistant coach, and new head men's
basketball coach Jeremy Luther and interim Athletic Director Eric
Faulconer are currently in a search for that coach.
AASU will be the seventh PBC team to sponsor men's cross country,
joining the five that competed in 2008 - Columbus State, Clayton
State, Georgia College, North Georgia and Francis Marion, along
with new PBC school Flagler.
Runners interested in competing for the Pirates should contact
interim AD Eric Faulconer until a coach is in place.