Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Cross Country Begins Season with Indiana Open
9/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 8, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana cross country teams will open the 2011 season with the Indiana Open on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the IU Championship Cross Country Course. The first race will take place a 9:30 a.m. ET. The event will kickoff back-to-back meets that will take place in Bloomington to start the year, and is one of three meets on the schedule in which IU will host.
The men's team begins the season ranked No. 8 nationally coming off a seventh place finish in the 2010 NCAA Championships, the best finish for the program in 33 years. Andrew Poore, an All-American a year ago, looks to lead the Hoosiers to great heights in 2011, but he isn't alone as a supporting cast of returners will also be aiding in IU's bid for a successful year including Andy Bayer, Ben Hubers, Zach Mayhew, Nate Morrow, De'Sean Turner and Andy Weatherford. All seven of these returnees ran in last year's NCAA Championships meet in Terre Haute, Ind.
On the women's side, the team hopes to improve on last year's fifth place finish in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. Chelsea Blanchard and Helene DeLone return for their senior campaigns along with underclassmen Kelsey Duerksen, Caitlin Engel, Samantha Ginther and Erica Ridderman. All six competed in the last year's NCAA Regional.
The Hoosiers will play host two other meets during the 2011 season beginning next weekend with the annual Indiana Intercollegiates on Friday, Sept. 16 at the IU Championship Cross Country Course. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. The meet consists of three races. The open race, featuring women running a 5K and men running an 8K, the women's championship race and the men's championship race. Both of IU's men's and women's teams won the title in 2010. The men have won the intra-state event for three-consecutive years as the women have taken home the title in each of the last two seasons.
Indiana will also serve as host for the Hoosier Invitational on Friday, Nov. 4. With the championship season taking place at that time, this invite provides a concluding meet for runners outside of the team's top nine. Featuring a women's 5K and men's 8K. The meet will feature runners from multiple collegiate teams in addition to the Hoosiers.
Players Mentioned
