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6 Tuesday, November a, aoio | The Red * Black Junior wins SEC cross country title By ZACH DILLARD The Rkii & Black Junior runner Kristie Krueger captured an SEC title at the conference championships in Columbia. S.C., Monday morning. “I’m just so excited. Freshman year I never would have dreamed that I could do this, but Coach [Jeff] Pigg and my team mates have helped me along,” Krueger told Oeorgia Sports Communications. "I Just wanted to start out and see if I felt comfortable, at least to halfway. I was going to see how strong I felt and then try to start pulling away. Thankfully, I felt pretty good, so it turned out well.” Krueger clocked a 20:41.25 on the six-kilome ter course to capture the second cross country indi vidual title in school histo ry. Sarah Madebach cap tured Georgia’s first SEC title in 2010. Auburn’s Hollie Knight finished nearly eight sec onds behind Krueger to capture second place. With her title-capturing run, Krueger, who finished in fourth place at the 2009 SEC Championships will bring First Team All-SEC honors back to Athens. “Kristie looked fantas tic and she did a great job. I’m really proud of what she's done,” Pigg said. “She’s had continual improvement from two . ■ M ~ TTTTimfflL ' Jr . sfc iIM. / \ \ h ■ - **v6te rsc f M. -?< s ngnh: - W yfßaßfc \ ' mBwMW V- j f > 4 . '*lpr “•*' nrSi gg***. \ W Mm' i SI " T ' *-* ’r^Sh*:’ *■, ~ private bedrooms and bathrooms, resort-style amenities, townhome floor plans available. 706.543.4400 | 706.548.0600 v-.- ■ * ' g£ifV' . ( .- : *** im nil . I f ; - *□ Hydil fc>-..' I m ” *t- K V 4*. | i x ffe/ UPGRADED AMENITIES • WASHERS & DRYERS • FULL KITCHENS • INDIVIDUAL LEASES * FIND US ON FACE6OOK LAKESIOKIIf yy„. I >m , , L1B! „ SPORTS NOTEBOOK years ago to today. We put a lot of focus on the SEC meet and we are excited to come here and do the best we can. We want to do well and go to Nationals, but when you’re in the SEC, you have to focus on doing well here.” Krueger's finish led the Bulldogs to finish with 130 points good enough for a fourth place finish at the conference tournament. The Bulldog men finished in sixth place at the tour nament, finishing just one point behind Ole Miss at the fifth spot. Georgia-Auburn game time announced The Bulldogs, who face off against the rival Auburn Tigers on Nov. 13, will square off at 3:30 p.m. on CBS in Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Ala. The annual game, known as the South’s Oldest Rivalry, will feature two teams at opposite ends of the competitive spectrum. While Georgia has struggled through its worst season under Mark Richt, the Tigers are eqjoying national promi nence under second-year head coach Gene Chizik. Georgia has won four consecutive games against Auburn, with the Tigers holding the overall series 53-52-8. '■ V.- i \... . ■ , I jj - . .-j IXF 'm J: t “t I r | fe- Wk v SEAN FRANCIS TAYLOR ITuhct Bun ▲ Junior Kristie Krueger captured the University’s second individual SEC cross coun try title on Monday with her time of 20:41.25. SPORTS Transfer ‘ready* for return to live action Junior to be an instant factor By MITCH BLOMIRT The Red & Black Gerald Robinson hasn’t played a single game for the men’s basketball team yet, but he’s no newcomer. After sitting out for a year due to NCAA transfer rules, the junior guard is eligible to play once again, and ready to be somewhere other than the bench. Robinson trans ferred to Georgia from Tennessee State last year, forc ing him to miss the entire season. He was allowed to practice with the team and attend home games, but not play. Until now. "I’m in a whole different position,” Robinson said. “Last year I came and practiced every day, but this year I won’t be sitting on the sideline every game in a jumpsuit. I’m ready to go suit up and contribute and help us win.” ' Robinson was subject to the numerous close losses the Bulldogs suf fered last season, and not being able to do anything about them only made sit ting out harder to endure. At scrimmages, his teammates discussed how much different things could have been If Robinson had been on the court for some of the loss es. “It’s kind of hard to watch a team lose, or even if we’re winning, because you want to be part of that,” Robinson said. "I definitely wish I could’ve been out there a lot last year.” But a year away from the action hasn’t made anyone forget about the 6-foot-l Nashville native. Robinson’s on court debut for the Bulldogs is being highly anticipated by coaches and teammates —and even fans for good reason, judging by his career numbers. In two years at Tennessee State, Robinson started every game he played but two, scoring over 1,000 points in his Tiger career. Asa sophomore, he led the Tigers with 17.8 points per game, earning a sec ond-team Ohio ROBINSON Valley Conference selection. Despite playing for a mid-major conference team, he still excelled against SEC opponents, including a 25-point effort against the perennial pow erhouse Kentucky Wildcats. “He probably realized he signed below where he should’ve been out [of] high school,” Georgia head coach Mark Fox said. "I think he’ll have a big Impact on this team. I hope that translates into victories, but I do think he’s a guy who is a talent who should’ve been at this level a couple of years already.” Robinson got the chance to move to that level at the end of the 2008- 2009 season, when Tennessee State head coach Cy Alexander was dismissed from the team. The coaching change, along with two years of success, made him realize he was ready for a bigger stage. Robinson picked up offers from Memphis, Alabama, Marquette and Georgia before picking the Bulldogs. “I always figured I could play anywhere, coming out of high school,” Robinson said. “There really wasn’t any doubt whether I could play. I Just wanted to stay close to home when I got out of high school. My coach got released at Tennessee State, so by bringing In anew coach, I just kind of figured I would see my options on a bigger level.” A year later, Robinson has gotten everything he could ask for. He found the bigger stage, and even has the opportunity to play along side two potential NBA draft picks in Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie. Dubbed “the fastest player he’s ever seen” by Thompkins, Robinson has a chance to be a starter for a Bulldogs team expected to Improve and contend for a conference title this season. The hope Is that Robinson will fill the much needed role of a third scor er for the Bulldogs, an aspect the team lacked at times last season. "I think he has an advantage over most first year players in the fact that he’s spent a year in our program learning how we want to play, where he should get shots from and where other people should get shots from,” Fox said. “He’s really worked to become well-aware of what we’re doing offensively.” All that’s left for Robinson to do is make his official debut for Georgia on Nov. 12 against Mississippi Valley State a date when the Stegeman Coliseum crowd finds out if sitting out a year made a difference for him. The time spent away from in-game action was not wasted, though, Robinson is sure to point out. If anything it may just help him even more. “I think more so it helped me with learning" Robinson said. “I'm glad I got to sit back and just leam a lot."