THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University cross country teams are set to race in the NCAA Division I Cross Country South Central Regional championships Friday at Texas A&M's Watts Cross Country Course. 
 
The women's 6k is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. Sophomores Eleana Callejas and Joyce Kiplagat and freshmen Faith Keter, Lara Reifers and Julia Garcia Verges will compete for the women's squad. 
 
"For our women's team, the goal is to work together to race our best 6k of the season. Three of our women didn't race to the level they have had in training and other races at the Southland Conference Championship, so they are excited to have another opportunity to show their hard work this season and run well for Nicholls," head coach Stefanie Slekis said.
 
The men's 10k will follow at 10:15 a.m. Racing for the men will be junior Teril Cooper along with freshmen Cameron Carter, Daniel Figueroa, Jonathan Hernandez, Tyler Granger and Dustin Worley.
 
"Our men's team has been preparing all season for their first 10k cross country race. This will be the first time for all five of our freshman team scorers from the Southland Conference Championship to compete in a 10k cross country race, so it is an important learning opportunity as we prepare to build on this year for future success and our goal of becoming a Top 15 program in the region," Slekis said.
 
Thirty-two teams from across the region are set to compete on Friday, including Southland Conference champions Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (women) and Central Arkansas (men). The Colonels will also run against in-state competitors LSU, Tulane and Louisiana Tech.
 
Arkansas claimed the both the men's and women's team crowns at last year's South Central Regional championships. Tulane's Emmanuel Rotich took home the men's individual title on a 29-minute, 49.1-second run, while Arkansas' Nikki Hiltz (19:35.5) took home the women's. 
 
The Colonels are coming off 13^th- and 12^th-place finishes for the women and men, respectively, at the 2018 SLC Cross Country Championships. Reifers (26:54.7) had the top finish for the women's team and Hernandez (29:32.1) for the men. 
 
"Competing at the NCAA South Central Regional Championship is an amazing opportunity for our young teams. Our goal is to come and gain experience and take advantage of the fitness we have gained this season through training together as a team for 12 weeks. We are getting in one last fast race against the best competition we will have seen this season," Slekis said.
 
To stay up to date with the Nicholls cross country squads, follow the teams on twitter @Nicholls_XCTF.