Cross Country to Compete in the Pre National Invitational
October 17, 2014 | Cross Country
Event: Pre National Invitational
Date: Oct. 18, 2014
Start Times: 11:00 a.m. Women's Blue 6K l 11:35 a.m. Men's Blue 8K | 12:15 p.m. Women's White 6K | 12:50 p.m. Men's White 8K | 1:30 p.m. Women's Open 6K | 2:05 p.m. Men's Open 8K
Place: LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course
THE FIELD The race will feature 158 teams and over 1,600 athletes competing in six races this Saturday. Each blue race features teams ranked in among the best in each of the nine regions across the United States but the white race is also a tough test with many teams seeking at-large points for a potential berth at the NCAA Championship.
THE WEATHER Conditions are expected to partly cloudy with a high of 55 degrees on Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind.
After impressive showings in all three races this season, the University of Louisville cross-country team is ready to face a challenging field at the Pre National Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The first women's event begins at 11:00 a.m. while the men's event begins at 11:35 a.m. at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind.
In the prelude to the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's National Championship (Nov. 22 in Terre Haute), the Pre Nationals will feature 158 teams and over 1,600 athletes competing in six races this Saturday. Action begins with the Women's Blue 6K race at 11:00 a.m. (ET) followed by the Men's 8K Blue Race at (11:35 a.m.), Women's 6K White Race (12:15 p.m.), Men's 8K White Race (12:50 p.m.), Women's 6K Open Race (1:30 p.m.), and Men's 8K Open Race (2:05 p.m.).
The Louisville men have finished in the top 10 of every race this season. The men are led by juniors Edwin Kibichiy and Ernest Kibet. Kibichiy won the Meijer Flyer 5K and finished second at the Commodore Classic while Kibet finished second in the Meijer Flyer 5K and third at the Commodore Classic. In the last race, Kibet edged out Kibichiy by one second to finish third at the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic while Kibichiy finished fourth.
Japhet Kipkoech has finished in the top 20 of all three races this season. He finished fourth in the Meijer Flyer 5K and seventh in the Commodore Classic. Most recently he finished 18th in the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic. Jonathan Reynolds and freshmen Daniel Southard and Chris Striegel have also scored for the Cardinals this year. Kyle Covert returned to action in the last race and ran a personal best in the 8K.
The women have finished in the top 15 of every race this season. They are led by sophomore Benadate Cheruiyot and freshman Kelsie Schwartz. Cheruiyot has two top 10 finishes in her two races this season. She finished second at the Meijer Flyer 5K and ninth at the Commodore Classic. Schwartz led the women with a 38th place finish in the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic. She also finished ninth at the Meijer Flyer 5K.
Senior Megan Klein had a strong showing in the last two races. She ran a personal best in the Commodore Classic to finish 34th. Emily Bushey ran a personal best in the last race and has scored in the last two races for the Cardinals.
FOLLOWING THE CARDINALS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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PRE NATIONAL INVITATIONAL PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
MEN'S - Air Force, Akron, Arkansas State, Baylor, Bowling Green, Bradley, Butler, California, Campbell, Central Arkansas, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado, Colorado State, Cornell, Drake, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Washington, Elon, Fresno State, Furman, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Indiana State, Iowa, IUPUI, IPFW, Kansas, Kansas State, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Kent State, La Salle, Lehigh, Liberty, Lipscomb, Long Beach State, Louisville, Loyola/Chicago, Loyola Marymount, Massachusetts-Lowell, Memphis, Miami/Ohio,Milwaukee, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana State, North Carolina State, North Texas, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, San Francisco, Southern Illinois, Southern Utah, Tennessee Tech, Texas, Texas Tech, Toledo, Tulsa, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UMKC, UNC Greensboro, UT Arlington, UTEP, Washington State, Western Kentucky, Wichita State, Wyoming, Xavier, Yale, Youngstown
WOMEN'S TEAMS - Air Force, Akron, Arkansas State, Baylor, Bowling Green, Bradley, Butler, California, Campbell, Central Arkansas, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Colorado, Colorado State, Connecticut, Drake, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Washington, Elon, Fresno State, Furman, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Indiana State, Iowa, IPFW, James Madison, Kansas, Kansas State, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Kent State, Lamar, La Salle, Liberty, Lipscomb, Long Beach State, Louisville, Loyola/Chicago, Loyola Marymount, Memphis, Miami/Ohio, Michigan,Mississippi, Missouri, Montana State, North Carolina State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Northwestern, Ohio, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, Purdue, Rice, Southern Illinois, Southern Utah, Texas, Texas Tech, Toledo, Tulsa, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UMKC, UNC-Greensboro, Utah, UT Arlington, UTEP, Washington State, Western Kentucky, Wichita State, Wyoming, Xavier, Yale, Youngstown
