Sept. 30, 2015
THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams compete at the 60th annual Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, on Friday. The women’s 5,000-meter race begins at 1 p.m. (CT) followed by the men’s five-mile race at 1:45 p.m. The event is held at the Burke Golf Course on the campus of Notre Dame University.
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IN THE RANKINGS
The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams are ranked 11th and 12th, respectively, in the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association regional polls.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
The University of Iowa men’s team joins an elite 21-team field that features six nationally ranked teams — New Mexico (17), Arizona State (18), Southern Utah (23), Colorado State (26), NC State (27), and Eastern Kentucky (28).
The Hawkeye women join the elite division that includes top-ranked New Mexico, NC State (14), Notre Dame (20), and Vanderbilt (22).
WAYMIRE LEADS THE PACK
Sophomore Madison Waymire has paced the Hawkeyes with two top-five finishes this season. She opened with a fifth-place finish at the Early Bird Invitational on Sept. 4 and finished third at the Illinois State Invitational on Sept. 11.
RACE TO THE FRONT
The Hawkeye men have had two different pace setters this season. Freshman Ian Eklin finished first for Iowa at the Early Bird Invitational with a third-place finish. Senior Anthony Gregorio took the reigns at the Illinois State Invitational, leading the team to a second-place finish overall after placing ninth individually.
TEAM CAPTAINS
The Iowa coaching staff named juniors Ben Anderson and Tess Wilberding 2015 team captains of the men’s and women’s cross country teams. Anderson has been the second finisher for the Hawkeyes, placing among the top 15 at the Early Bird Invitational (14th) on Sept. 4 and the Illinois State Invitational (10th) on Sept. 11.
Wilberding has also placed in the top 15 in both races this season. She was Iowa’s third finisher at the Early Bird Invitational (15th) and placed second for the Hawkeyes at the Illinois State Invitational (14th).
THIS TIME LAST YEAR
Junior Carolyn Newhouse led the Hawkeyes to a seventh-place finish at the Notre Dame Invitational last season. Sophomore Marta Bote Gonzalez and junior Tess Wilberding finished second and third for Iowa.
Juniors Ben Anderson, Kevin Docherty and Taylor Soltys, and senior Anthony Gregorio are the returning point scorers from the Notre Dame Invitational last year. The men’s team finished 16th in the elite division.
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes travel to Peoria, Illinois, for the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 16.
