Cross country to compete in Pre-Nationals
The men’s and women’s cross country teams are looking to prove their ability as they prepare for the MAC Championships Oct. 31.
The teams travel to Terre Haute, Ind. for Saturday’s Pre-Nationals Invitational meet sponsored by Indiana State University. Last year in Terre Haute, the men and women placed 37th and 38th out of 40 teams, respectively.
The men will compete in the 8K race at 11:40 a.m., while the women are scheduled to begin their 6K at 12:20 p.m. More than 75 of the top cross country teams in the nation will be on hand, including Stanford, Louisville, Oregon, BYU and Georgetown.
“It’s not just running against the regionally ranked teams — we’re in some national competition this weekend,” said cross country director Willie Randolph.
The men are led by senior Riak Mabil, who is recovering from a sore Achilles tendon. Mabil placed ninth at the Spartan Invitation Sept. 18 and 24th at the Greater Louisville Classic on Oct. 3.
Junior Sammy Kiprotich also is looking to show well for the first time during the 2009 season. Kiprotich, a first-team All-Conference honoree last season, has only appeared in one race so far this season, finishing 50th (25:10) at the Greater Louisville Classic.
Rounding out the lineup are senior Jacob Korir, juniors Chris Pankow and Adam Smith, sophomore Jeremy Kiley and freshman Tecumseh Adams. Sophomore Matt Lutzke will fill the eighth and final spot and run in the men’s 1:30 p.m. open race.
“The guys are looking like they’re ready to go,” Randolph said. “They’ve been putting in some great workouts and are looking like more of a unit.”
The women
Junior tandem Melissa Darling and Danielle Dakroub look to continue leading the women Saturday.
Both have been back and forth in previous meets with first-place team finishes.
Darling started out the year with a first place team (first overall) finish at the Jeff Drenth Memorial on Sept. 4. Dakroub came back and took first for the team (16th overall) at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, and Darling took first (18th overall) in Louisville.
Not far behind is sophomore Holly Anderson, who will be in the lineup with juniors Kyle Kubacki and Raeanne Lohner, senior Emily Van Wasshenova and junior Brittany Dixon. Kubacki and Lohner competed this past weekend in Grand Rapids at Michigan Intercollegiates.
Sophomore Charnele Lyons will fill the final slot and race in the women’s 2:10 p.m. open race.
Assistant coach Matt Kaczor said the race this weekend is preparing the team for the future.
“This one is really just starting to set ourselves up for the years to come,” Kaczor said. “We have room to grow ... we really only have two seniors on the women’s side.”
Quick notes
Following last Friday’s Michigan Intercollegiates meet, Lohner was named CMU’s Scholar Athlete of the Week. Other winners of the award this season include senior football quarterback Dan LeFevour and wide receiver Bryan Anderson.
The men’s team retained its No. 13 Great Lakes regional ranking with the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association this week.
