Cross Country Heads to Badger Opener

Sept. 8, 2011

Nelson Weekly Podcast (mp3) Marquette Performance List

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University men's and women's cross country teams will compete at the Wisconsin Badger Opener on Friday, Sept. 9 in Verona, Wis., at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.

The women's 5-kilometer race will start at 5:30 p.m., while the men's 6K will begin following the women's race at 6 p.m.

"This is meet is just to sharpen us up a little more as we start to get into the more competitive meets," head coach Mike Nelson said. "I added this meet more for the women than the men, but I do believe that the men will still benefit from having an additional race. For the women, I find that every time they go out and race they get a little bit stronger and a little more confident in their pacing. I think this will just be another step in the right direction, as far as getting better. This race will really help us as we head into the National Catholic meet at Notre Dame."

Edgewood College will join the Golden Eagles and the host Wisconsin Badgers at the meet.

Last week at Valparaiso's Crusader Open, the men's team had seven runners finish in the top 10., led by senior Blake Johnson who finished first in a time of 15:26.3, while fellow senior Peter Bolgert placed second in 15.38.9.

Freshman Kenzie Vicker paced the women's team with a 13th-place finish in 19:11.1, while the Golden Eagle women finished third as a team.

The men enter the season ranked 12th in the Great Lakes Region preseason poll by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, while the women are unranked.

Women (16)
Sarah Ball
Melissa Budelier
Hannah Frett
Jessa Hackman
Carly Windt
Kate Horan
Courtney Kelly
Haley Loprieno
Grace Magliola
Rebecca Pachuta
Holly Robertson
Christina Sliepka
Kenzie Vicker
Jessica Wright
Alyssa Stevens
Elisia Meyle