Nov. 9, 2010
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams travel to the NCAA Midwest Regionals this weekend. The event will be held Saturday in Peoria, Ill.
NCAA MIDWEST REGIONAL
The 2010 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship will be hosted by Bradley University at Newman Golf Course in Peoria, Ill. The women’s 6K is scheduled to begin Saturday at 11 a.m. with the men’s 10K to follow at 12:15 p.m. The Iowa men’s team competed at this course earlier in the year, winning the Bradley Classic Oct. 15. The top two teams will automatically advance to the NCAA Championships and the remaining at large openings will be determined by overall points. The top four individuals from the non-automatic qualifying teams advance as well.
IN THE RANKINGS
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams are ranked in the USTFCCCA Regional rankings. The Hawkeye men’s team is ranked seventh in the Midwest Region and the women’s team is ranked fifth.
2009 NCAA REGIONAL
Three Hawkeyes earned NCAA All-Region honors last year as the women placed fifth and the men finished sixth in Springfield, Mo. Brooke Eilers led the Hawkeye women. She earned the All-Regional honor after finishing 13th (21:14). Jeff Thode (21st – 31:27) and Mark Battista (25th – 31:42) also garnered All-Region honors.
THODE, FLOOD NAMED ALL-BIG TEN
The Hawkeyes last competed at the Big Ten Championships Oct. 31 in Verona, Wis. The Hawkeyes were led by sophomore Jeff Thode on the men’s side and junior Betsy Flood on the women’s. Both were named second team All-Big Ten.
HAWKEYE MEN AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Host school Wisconsin won the men’s event for the 12th straight year. The Hawkeyes finished ninth with 205 points. The Badgers’ Landon Peacock finished first in the 8K event, recording a time of 23:40. Iowa was paced by Thode. The sophomore, who has led the Hawkeyes in every race this year, finished ninth with a time of 23:56. Mark Battista finished 25th. The senior captain recorded a time of 24:20. Junior Sam Bailin carded a 47th place finish, turning in a time of 24:52. Chase Kadlec finished 61st. The junior ran a time of 25:19. Freshman Andrew Smith finished 63rd. He recorded a time of 25:27. Freshman Nick Young (65th – 25:33) and junior James Paul (67th – 25:45) also competed for the Hawkeyes.
HAWKEYE WOMEN AT BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Michigan State won the women’s title, tallying 74 points in the 6K event. Iowa finished eighth with 190 points. The Spartans’ Emily MacLeod finished first, carding a time of 19:53. The Hawkeyes were paced by Flood. She ran a career-best time of 20:36 to finish eighth. Flood’s time is the fifth best in Hawkeye history. McKenzie Melander finished 34th. The junior ran a career best time of 21:14, the ninth best in school history. Senior Lauren Hardesty carded a time 21:28 to finish 44th. Freshman Megan Ranegar recorded a 51st place finish, turning in a time of 21:37. Junior Brooke Eilers ran a time of 21:41 to finish 53rd. Senior Amanda Hardesty (64th – 22:04) and sophomore Kelsey Hart (70th – 22:20) also competed for Iowa.
BIG TEN HONORS
Senior Lauren Hardesty and sophomore Jeff Thode both earned Big Ten Weekly Runner of the Week honors this year. Hardesty was honored after leading the Iowa women’s squad to a win at the Hawkeye Invitational (Sept. 3). She finished first in the 3K event (10:21). Thode won the award after leading Iowa to a win at the Bradley Classic (Oct. 15). He finished second in the 8K event (23:37).
WIECZOREK ANNOUNCES HONORARY TEAM MEMBER
Head Coach Larry Wieczorek has named Dr. Georgina Dodge, the University’s Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President, an honorary team member for the 2010-11 track and field season. Dr. Dodge served as assistant vice provost of Ohio State University’s Office of Minority Affairs for five years before joining the University of Iowa in July, 2010. She earned her B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of California, Irvine, and her Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles.
UP NEXT
The NCAA Championships will be held Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind.