Marquette University Athletics
Cross Country Teams Look Forward To Busy Weekend
9/26/2001 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 26, 2001
The Marquette women's Cross Country team, ranked 16th in the nation and the Marquette men's Cross Country squad will meet some of their toughest competition of the young season when they head to Minneapolis for the Roy Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota on Saturday, September 29.
"This is the second biggest meet of the year," said Dave Uhrich, head coach of both Cross Country teams. "Besides the Pre-NCAA meet, we will never face as many nationally ranked teams in a meet."
The women will be facing other nationally ranked opponents for the first time this year and are looking forward to the challenge. Twelve of the top 25 teams from around the country will be participating including: No. 8 Arizona, No. 9 Providence, No. 11 Arizona State and No. 15 Missouri.
"We've done well there every year," added Uhrich. "It can be a little overwhelming, facing all the ranked teams. Every other meet this year we have had maybe one good team there--Saturday there will be twenty."
The men's team, now ranked 10th in the Great Lakes Region, will also participate against fierce competition. Thirteen of the top 25 teams in the country will be in Minnesota on Saturday, including Great Lakes Region rivals No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 19 Indiana.
"The regional ranking is a good thing for us," said Uhrich. "It is a step-by-step process. The men are ready for the challenge of this weekend."
The race will take place on Saturday at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn. The men will race at 11 a.m. and the women at noon.
Those runners not in the top nine of either Golden Eagle team will travel to Chicago where they will participate in the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational. The race will take place on Saturday, September 29 at Montrose Beach. The women's 5K begins at 11 a.m. and the men's 8K begins at 11:45 a.m.
