XC Notebook: Gans Creek Classic

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa men’s and women’s cross country teams return to action after an off week, following the Dirksen-Greeno Invite. The Hawkeyes hit the road for the second time this season as they travel to Columbia, Missouri, for the Gans Creek Classic at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course on Friday. The men’s 8,000-meter race begins at 9 a.m. (CT) with the women’s 6,000 meters to follow at 9:45 a.m. (CT).

IN THE RANKINGS
The University of Iowa men’s cross country team is ranked No. 12 in the USTFCCCA Midwest Region week three poll, and the Hawkeye women head into the weekend ranked ninth in the region. In the USTFCCCA Week Three National rankings, Wisconsin sits atop the Big Ten men’s side as the nation’s 14th-ranked squad, and is joined in the top 30 by four additional Big Ten squads. Six Big Ten women’s teams occupy spots in the national top 30, led by Minnesota at No. 7.

LAST TIME OUT…
The Hawkeye women claimed the Division I team title at the Dirksen-Greeno Invite on Sept. 18, edging out Nebraska by a 38-41 margin in the 5K race. The trio of Kelli Tosic, Emma Gordon and Booke McKee finished 6-7-8 to lead Iowa to the win. Freshmen Lauren McMahon and Miriam Sandeen rounded out scoring for the Hawkeyes, finishing 10th and 12th, respectively. On the men’s side, sophomore Nick Trattner led the way for the second-consecutive race to open the season for Iowa, finishing sixth in the Division I 8K race to help the Hawkeyes to a third-place team finish. Senior Noah Healy finished eighth for his second top-10 finish of the season, while Kal Lewis (25th), Ian Geisler (26th) and Jeff Roberts (28th) rounded out the scoring for the Hawkeyes.

TRATTNER MAKING HISTORY
Nick Trattner is the first underclassmen in over a decade to lead the Hawkeye men for the first two races of the season since Jeff Thode in 2010. Trattner finished third at the Hawkeye Invite and sixth at the Dirksen-Greeno Invite. Thode brought home one third place finish and one victory during those two races and went on to lead the Hawkeyes in every race that season. Thode is one of the most decorated Hawkeyes in history, recording two individual National Championship appearances and one All-American honor in 2010 placing 30th.