While most Floridians prefer the tropical heat of the summer, at Florida A&M, it’s definitely Winters’ season.
The Florida A&M men’s cross-country teams competed this past weekend at their only home meet of the cross country season.
Sophomore Shuaib Winters, captain of the men’s squad, is having an exceptional season.
Winters has placed in the top five in almost every meet and has been named Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference (MEAC) athlete of the week.
Winters, who led his team with a first place finish and a time of 25:20.91, said he felt pressure to win because it was the only home meet of the season, but that he was confident in himself and the team as a whole.
Two other Rattlers finished in the top ten. Co-captian, Lamere Buchanan, finished fourth with a time of 27:07.97, while Brandon Alexander ran a time of 27:41.41 clinching the eighth place spot, adding to the team’s points total. Florida A&M finished second overall.
Having already secured a division one title, the team is strengthening its strategy for success.
Running as a pack to accumulate the most possible team points was just one part of the Rattler’s plan according to head coach Wayne Angel.
Competing a second time this season against opponents such as Morehouse College, Bethune-Cookman University and Albany State University, gave the Rattler’s the advantage of sizing up the competition early and capitalizing on their shortcomings.
With two meets left before regional competition begins, the team continues to train diligently in preparation for the next victory.
Coach Angel said he is committed to improving pack integrity and dropping times.
Improvement is what Winters is still looking for as he heads toward the biggest stage of the season.
“Although I’m taking it one meet at a time, I’m ready for nationals,” Winters said.
The team will get some much needed rest and will sprint back into action on October 16th, in Deland, Florida at the Stetson-Hatter Invitational.