Today is the last chance for CMU runners to show assistant coach Matt Kaczor why they deserve to run next week at Pre-Nationals or the Mid-American Conference Championships on Nov. 1.

The men’s cross country team will compete at the Michigan Intercollegiate Championships at 4 p.m. in Milford.

The Chippewas will bring seven runners to the Pre-NCAA meet in Terre Haute, Ind., and nine to the MAC meet in Ypsilanti. Kaczor is using this week as an audition for some of the team’s underclassmen.

“We’re going to have guys fight for the last two spots at Pre-Nats and the last four spots for the MACs.” Kaczor said.

The team, ranked No. 13 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region, is competing against Eastern Michigan, Oakland and Detroit, among other Div. II and Div. III schools.

Kaczor expects his runners to show him that they are peaking at the right time of the season.

“I haven’t been running very well,” said freshman Travis Gere. “I’m hoping to break out this next race and make that top nine to make the MAC squad.

Kaczor will hold out Sammy Kiprotich, Riak Mabil, Jacob Korir and Matt Lutzke this week and save them for Pre-Nationals.

“Next week is our Pre-Nats meet,” Kaczor said. “We want everyone to race well there.”

Senior Sean Anthony looks to lead the team with both his time and his experience today.

“Sean is there to help us out,” Kaczor said. “He is going to give us a strong guy at the front.”

Most of the other runners are freshmen and sophomores, so it is the experience of racing for points that will benefit them the most.

“It is just to get another race under their belts,” Kaczor said. “A lot of these guys are younger guys that need a little more experience before we get to the Pre-Nats meet, conference meet and regional meet.”

The race also will show Kaczor how many of the young runners perform under the pressure of a scoring meet.

“It is their opportunity to score for us and show me what they can do when they are relied on.” he said.

Adam Richmond is racing for the first time since Aug. 29 at the Jeff Drenth Memorial, where he took seventh on the team. He suffered an illness afterward.

MAC favorite Eastern Michigan also will compete in Milford, but is holding out its top runners for Pre-Nationals as well.

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E-mail the author: Matthew Valinski