XC Notebook: Pre-Nationals

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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams travel to Terre Haute, Indiana, on Saturday, October 19. The Hawkeyes compete at the Pre-National meet on Saturday. The women’s 6,000-meter race begins at 10 a.m. (CT). The men’s 8,000 meters begins at 10:35 a.m. The race is held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. Admission for spectators will be $5, cash only.

LAVERN GIBSON CHAMPIONSHIP CROSS COUNTRY COURSE
Home course to the Indiana State Sycamores, and  located miles from the city of Terre Haute, it is the centerpiece of the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center. The course sits on the site of a reclaimed coal mine. It is known for its challenging mix of uphill and downhill sections. Earlier this year, the start line was re-structured. 

HOW TO FOLLOW
Results are posted on the Iowa cross country Twitter account: @Iowa XC_TF and online at http://pttiming.com/events/87931607.

HAWKEYES CONTINUE TO FIGHT
The women’s team placed 22nd at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite on Oct. 4. Senior Megan Schott was the top female runner for the Hawkeyes with a personal best (17:14). Then men finished 12th, placing above two nationally rank teams, Colorado State (13) and Wyoming (18). Nathan Mylenek led the men’s team for the third straight week.

IN THE RANKINGS
The women rank seventh in the USTFCCCA Week 4 polls behind fellow Big Ten teams Minnesota (1) and Illinois (2). The men jump up to fourth in the polls. They rank first among Big Ten teams in their conference, with Minnesota trailing them in fifth.  The men’s team received a vote in the national polls for the first time since 2009. 

MYLENEK NAMED BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
After leading Iowa to a first-place finish at the Hawkeye Invitational on Sept. 6, Nathan Mylenek was named Big Ten Athlete of the Week. The Big Ten weekly honor is the first of Mylenek’s career, and the first by a Hawkeye men’s cross country runner since Jeff Thode won the award in 2010.

MEN’S TOP RUNNERS
Senior Nathan Mylenek returns this week as the men’s top finisher from the Notre Dame Invite on Oct. 4. He placed 29th overall out of 167 individuals. Mylenek ran a personal best (24:00) in the 5 miles. He is the top runner for the men in the 8,000 meters with a time of 24:00.5, set at the Big Ten Championships on Oct. 28, 2018. Brandon Cooley ran a personal best (24:40) in the 5 miles at the Notre Dame Invite. He is among five other men to earn personal bests on Oct. 4. He follows Mylenek in the second spot for the 8,000 meters. He ran 24:36 at the 2018 Big Ten Championships.

WOMEN’S TOP RUNNERS
Senior Megan Schott finished 64th overall at the Notre Dame Invite. Looking towards Saturday, Schott is the Hawkeyes top women’s returner in the 6,000 meters with a career best (21:02) at the Bradley “Pink” Classic on Oct. 12, 2018. Sophomore Anna Hostetler has the second best time, a career best (21:25) in the 6,000 meters at the 2018 Bradley “Pink” Classic.

HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS
Junior Elyse Prescott was the second finisher for the Hawkeye women at the Notre Dame Invite on Oct. 4 in South Bend, Indiana. She ran a career best (17:24) in the 5,000 meters. Leah Kralovetz was the only freshman to run for the Hawkeyes at the Notre Dame Invite. She placed 176th with a time of 18:29.

NEXT UP FOR THE HAWKEYES
The Hawkeyes head to the Big Ten Championships on Nov. 3 in Columbus, Ohio. 

LINK UP WITH THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa cross country program and to access exclusive coverage, “like” The University of Iowa Cross Country and Track & Field Facebook page and follow @IowaXC_TF on Twitter.

 

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