Aug. 27, 2007
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THIS WEEK — The men and women’s cross country teams will both travel to Macomb, IL for the Western Illinois University’s Early Bird Invitational. The meet will be held Friday at Spring Lake Park. The women are scheduled to start at 5:45 p.m. with a 4,000-meter race, while the men will follow at 6:30 p.m. with a 6,000-meter race.
2007 MEN’S SEASON PREVIEW — The Hawkeyes will have some fresh faces this season after graduating co-captains Micah VanDenend and Jeff Kent and redshirting Eric MacTaggart due to his participation in the Hawkeye Marching Band this fall. Returning letterwinners include juniors Andy Napier, Heath Moenck, and Mike Stout, sophomores Tommy Tate, Brendan Camplin, Jesse Luciano and Jay Renaud. Tate was the only Hawkeye to compete in every race during the 2006 season, while Napier made an appearance, with the Hawkeyes, at the NCAA Championships. Redshirt freshmen Bruce MacTaggart and Adam Hairston will also make an impact. Hairston is fresh off a strong performance during the 2007 track season, qualifying for the NCAA regional meet in the 800 meters.
2007 WOMEN’S SEASON PREVIEW — The Hawkeyes hope to build on the success of 2006, returning 11 of its 12 runners. Iowa returns its top three runners withseniors Meghan Armstrong, Racheal Marchand and Diane Nukuri. Nukuri and Marchand earned all-America honors, making Iowa one of nine schools to crown two. Nukuri was also named Midwest Region Runner of the Year when she captured the regional meet title. All three earned spots on the all-region team, while Armstrong and Marchand earned all-Big Ten honors. Nukuri set school records in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, while she and Armstrong shared the 6,000-meter mark. This core of seniors will have plenty of help this year with returning seniors Jessica Schmidt and Molly Esche and sophomores Krista Anderson, Jolly Burke, Jennie Docherty, Katie Ellis and Chrissy Schaefer.
HAWKEYE MEN’S COACH Larry Wieczorek — Larry Wieczorek is in his 21st season as Iowa men’s cross country coach. During his tenure, the cross country team has placed sixth or higher 10 times at the NCAA Regional Championships, has posted 29 all-region selections and qualified for the NCAA Championships five times. In 2004, the Hawkeyes recorded their highest placings under Wieczorek at the Big Ten (3rd) and NCAA Championships (13th). In 2002, Wieczorek was named Midwest Region Coach of the Year honors by the United States Cross Country Association after the Hawkeyes won the NCAA Regional for the first time in school history. Wieczorek was a two-time Big Ten champion and a member of Iowa’s last Big Ten track championship team in 1967. Wieczorek still owns the Iowa record in the indoor two miles.
HAWKEYE WOMEN’S COACH Layne Anderson — Layne Anderson is in his fifth year as head women’s cross country coach at Iowa. In his four years with the cross country team, the Hawkeyes have made strong strides toward recapturing the program’s success of the 1980’s. The program took a major step in that direction in 2006, qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a team for the first time in 14 years and posting its highest Big Ten finish (sixth) since 1993. The Hawkeyes also recorded their highest finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional meet (third) under Anderson. Iowa has improved its finish at the NCAA midwest regional each season, placing ninth in 2003, seventh in 2004, sixth in 2005 and third in 2006.
NEXT MEET — Iowa will host the Hawkeye Open Saturday, September 15 at the Ashton Cross Country Course in Iowa City. The women will run 3,000 meters at 8:30 a.m. and the men will run 6,000 meters at 9 a.m.
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