Oct. 8, 2008
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IOWA CITY, IA – Senior Racheal Marchand and junior Jesse Luciano were both named Big Ten cross-country runners of the week following their performances last weekend at the Auburn Invite. This is the first career weekly honor for both Marchand and Luciano. The last Iowa women’s cross-country runner of the week was Diane Nukuri on Oct 16, 2007, and the last Iowa men’s cross-country runner of the week was Eric MacTaggart on Sep 6, 2005. Along with Marchand, Penn State’s Bridget Franek was also co-honored as Big Ten women’s cross-country runner of the week.
Marchand, after not competing all September, came out and placed fifth out of over 200 competitors. She recorded a new personal best 5,000 meter time of 16:15.50, beating out her previous best of 17:02 which was set two years ago at the Auburn Invite. The Iowa women’s team placed third in the event out of 23 teams with a team score of 99 points.
Luciano set a good pace for the Hawkeyes at the Auburn Invite with a fourth place finish in the 8,000 meter with a time of 23:01.83. This time is a new personal best for the Villa Park, Ill., native, beating his previous best of 23:59 set at last year’s Pre-Nationals. At the Auburn Invite, the men’s team placed third out of 24 teams with a team score of 72 points.
The women’s cross country team will be in Terre Haute, IN, for Pre-Nationals on Oct 18. The men will either compete at Pre-Nationals or the Bradley Invite on Oct 18.