By Drew Harris | UTAMavs.com

ARLINGTON, Texas - For the second time in three years, the UT Arlington men's and women's cross country teams will be capping their regular seasons by competing in the acclaimed Crimson Classic.

The site of Friday's meet in Tuscaloosa, Ala., brings back fond memories for UTA and its coach John Sauerhage. In 2013, both teams had strong finishes, with the men placing second and the women fifth among stout fields.

As a result, that men's squad vaulted 12 spots in the South Central Regional rankings to third, the highest-ranking in school history. This year, the men enter the final non-championship meet of the year ranked eighth in the South Central, while the women are ninth.

"This is a great meet for us to get our final preparations in for the conference meet," Sauerhage said. "We expect to run well here again against a very competitive field, which will get us ready for Atlanta and the tough teams we will face in the Sun Belt."

Grant Copeland, Virgilio Martinez and Eric Ojeda are all returners from the 2013 squad. Ojeda led that group by placing 11th in the event. Others set to compete Friday include Grayson Birka, Tyler Forde, Michael Guerrero, Martin Lopez, Christopher Myers and Cameron Woodberry.

Three women--Gabriela Alfonzo, Katelyn Hayward and Ashly Wright--also return to Alabama, where all three finished among the meet's top 50 the last time. The rest of the Mavericks contingent will be Macey Beazley, Tamerah Gorham, Anamarija Petters, Tori Shelton and Penny Taylor.

Friday marks a return to action for the Mavericks, who last competed at the Longhorn Invitational on Oct. 2. The women will run a 5k through Harry Pritchett Running Park beginning at 5 p.m. (CT). The men will take part in an 8k starting 30 minutes later. Live results will be available at XPressTiming.com.

More than two dozen men's an women's squads will be participating at the Crimson Classic, which comes just two weeks prior to the Sun Belt Conference Championships (Sunday, Nov. 1) in Atlanta, Ga.

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