CLEMMONS, N.C. – First-year head coach Jason Vigilante led Virginia’s men’s and women’s cross country teams to automatic berths into the 2008 NCAA Championships on Saturday morning at the NCAA Southeast Regional at Tanglewood State Park. The women won the Southeast Region title, outdistancing second-place Kentucky, 105-126, while the men matched their best outing, finishing runner-up to instate rival William & Mary, 66-67.

Seven Cavaliers earned All-Southeast Region honors on the day, as Virginia advanced both its men’s and women’s teams to the national championships for just the third time in the same season. It also marks the first time that both teams have advanced together by automatic qualification.
 
“Performances wise, we had a banner day for our program today,” Vigilante said. “We came within one point of both our men and women both winning a regional championship. But most importantly, it demonstrated how well our team has come together and I’m very proud of our young ladies and young men in how they represented themselves and the university.

“It’s not often you have an opportunity to win, especially at this level with so many teams competing. Being new to Virginia, I’m not sure the last time we accomplished this feat, but it was certainly a great feeling today.”

The women followed up an impressive