Cross Country Previews Nationals Course
10/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
| ISU Pre National Invitational | |||
| Date | Saturday, October 12 | W: 10:00 a.m. | ||
| Location | LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course / Terre Haute, Ind. | ||
| Television | N/A | ||
| Radio | N/A | ||
| Online | Live Stream (Subscription based) | ||
| Game Notes / Stats | Meet Home Page | Men's Program | Women's Program | 2014 Results | ||
| Promotions | N/A | ||
| Social Media | @PittTFandXC - Twitter / Facebook | ||
PITTSBURGH - With aspirations to qualify for this year's NCAA Championships in just over the month, the Pitt men's and women's cross country team will travel to Terre Haute, Ind. for a preview of the nationals course at the Indiana State University Pre National Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The 2014 cross country championships, which takes place on Nov. 22, returns to Terre Haute after spending last year in Louisville. Prior to going to Louisville, Indiana State hosted the championship meet for eight straight years.
SIZING THE FIELD
Pitt is among a number of teams in a loaded field including some of the top nationally-ranked teams in the country itching for a chance to preview the National Championship course. The Panthers women's will race in the 6K Blue race which goes off at 11 a.m. All 40 teams in the women's Blue race are regionally-ranked within the top-11 while six are ranked nationally by the USTFCCCA. Three of the top-four teams in the country, Michigan (1), Oregon (3) and Georgetown (4) will be in attendance. Oregon (2012) and Georgetown (2011) are two of the last three National Champions on the women's side. The remaining ranked teams are Colorado (7), Baylor (22) and NC State (29) with three more teams that are receiving votes in the polls.
Pitt's men are one of 35 teams participating in the 8K White race, set to start at 12:55. Although there aren't nearly as many regionally and nationally ranked teams in the white race, the Panthers will still have some phenomenal competition. In addition to Pitt, six other teams are ranked in the region with Eastern Kentucky (19) and Indiana (23) checking in from the national polls.
FOLLOW THE MEET LIVE
With such a high-profile meet taking place, Indiana State and the USTFCCCA are providing extensive coverage throughout the day. Below is a list of place to follow along with the events going on:
- Meet Home Page
- College XC Weekend Results Wall (via USTFCCCA)
- Live Stream (Subscription based)
- Twitter: @IndStTrackField, @XCTownUSA, @USTFCCCA
LAST TIME OUT
While the men and top runners had the weekend off to prepare for the Pre National Invitational, nearly 30 women's runners competed locally at the Carnegie Mellon University Invitational. The women posted a second place team finish - one point behind champion SUNY Cortland - for their best showing in the annual event since at least 2007. Three women placed in the top-10 and were led by senior Sam Owens, whose time of 18:52.9 was just 0.8 seconds away from her personal record.
RUNNERS RACK UP ACCOLADES
When senior Cullen Davis was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Co-Performer of the Week on Sept. 9, it was the first time since 2008, a Pitt runner was awarded a weekly award from a conference office.
The recognition hasn't stopped there as two more runners were honored a total of three times over the past month. The Eastern College Athletic Conference selected both freshmen Beth Shenck and Melanie Vlasic as their Division I Rookie of the Week in back-to-back weeks on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18, respectively. Vlasic won the award again most recently on Oct. 8.
TEAM TITLES AND INDIVIDUALS CHAMPS
Pitt has fielded a total of 12 teams spread across seven races this season, grabbing the team title in six of the events. Additionally, three Panthers runners, all on the men's side, have won races this year. They are Cullen Davis (UB Stampede Invite), Matt Kazanjian (SHU Griffin Classic) and Aaron Lauer (St. Vincent Invitational).
Coming into the season, Pitt runners placed first a combined three times since 2009. Since the turn of the century, no Pitt cross country team has had more than two first place finishers in a single season until this year.
PROGRAM-BEST REGIONAL RANKINGS RELEASED
Since the release of the first in-season regional rankings by the USTFCCCA, both Pitt's men and women's cross country teams have been a mainstay in the polls.
The women, who began the season 14th in the preseason poll, skyrocketed all the way to a program-best seventh after the second week of competition and stayed there until the most recent ranking, which bumped them down to 10th. Over on the men's side, after an impressive first weekend of racing, the men jumped into the regional polls at 13th, matching a program-high. Just like the women, the men's raking stayed put until the last one when they were dropped to spots to 15th.
When the USTFCCCA released its first poll of the regular season, it marked the first time that the Pitt cross country program had both men's and women's teams ranked since at least 2009, which is how far back the organization's records go.
LAST YEAR AT PRE NATIONALS
Both teams competed in the White races last year, with the men making a strong showing with a fifth place finish, led by Cullen Davis' fourth place performance. The women failed to place a runner in the top-40, and despite that, still took 12th place as a team out of 35 teams.
UP NEXT
With the ACC Championships on the horizon two weeks away, Pitt will take next weekend off to prepare for its second go-around in the event.
Players Mentioned
