Oct. 30, 2013
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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams travel to West Lafayette, Ind., to compete at the Big Ten Championships on Sunday. The event will be held at the Boilermaker Cross Country Course on the campus of Purdue University. The men’s 8,000-meter race begins at 9:45 a.m. (CT) with the women’s 6,000-meter race following at 10:45 a.m. (CT).
WATCH THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Big Ten Cross Country Championships will air on Big Ten Network on Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. (CT).
IN THE RANKINGS
The men’s cross country team is ranked 10th in the latest USTFCCCA Regional rankings.
NATIONAL CHALLENGE
The Hawkeye women face six teams ranked inside the USTFCCCA Top 30. Those teams include Michigan State (6), Michigan (14), Minnesota (15), Indiana (21), Wisconsin (28), and Penn State (29). The Hawkeye men will race against three of the nation’s top 30 teams. They include Wisconsin (7), Michigan (16), and Indiana (24).
CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE
Four Hawkeyes have previous Big Ten Championship experience. Juniors Kevin Lewis and Ben Witt each competed in the 2011 and 2012 championships, while sophomores Caleb Wilfong and Courtney Martin ran in the event last season.
3-FOR-3
Junior Kevin Lewis has paced the Hawkeyes in the three meets he has competed this season. Lewis took the Black & Gold Invite title (18:33.68) on Sept. 13, before finishing 30th (24:59.5) at the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 28, and 53rd (24:15.09) at the Pre-National Invite on Oct. 19.
A BALANCED ATTACK
The Hawkeye women have had a different front runner in each race this season. Senior Lena Placzek paced the Hawkeyes at the Iowa Open (11:07.97) on Aug. 30, and freshman Samantha Zishka led the team at the Black & Gold Invite (14:34.32) on Sept. 13. Sophomore Courtney Martin was the top finisher at the Roy Griak Invitational (22:40.70) on Sept. 28, while freshman Katie Adams was the first Hawkeye across the line at the Pre-National Invitational (22:16.88) on Oct. 19.
PERSONAL BESTS
All 10 of the Iowa scorers at the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 19 recorded personal best finishes. Kevin Lewis led the men’s squad, finishing 53rd with a time of 24:15.09. The junior has recorded personal best times in every meet this season. Freshman Katie Adams crossed the line first for the Iowa women (22:16.88). Adams bested her previous personal-best time by over one minute.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to Ames, Iowa, for the NCAA Regional on Nov. 15.