Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Open Begins 2014 IUXC Season Saturday
9/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
| Indiana Open Preview |
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The 2014 Indiana cross country season will get underway on Saturday, Sept. 7, with the Indiana Open. The meet will take place at the IU Championship Cross Country Course in Bloomington, Ind. There will be two races, a women's 5K at 9:20 a.m. ET and a men's 8K run at 10:10 a.m.
Other participants in the event include Tennessee Tech and the IU Running Club.
The IU men's team comes into the season with its highest ranking ever in program history as it sits No. 6 in the preseason USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll. All five scorers from last year's eighth place team at the NCAA Championships return for the Hoosiers in 2014 including Evan Esselink, Jason Crist, Carl Smith, Matt Schwartzer and JR Ricker. A First Team All-Big Ten runner a year ago, Rorey Hunter also returns. He is coming off a spectacular outdoor track season where he was the Big Ten champion in the 1500m run.
The women's team looks to continue the momentum it started a year ago as the IU ladies had their best finish at NCAAs since 2004. Also during the season last year, IU achieved its highest national ranking in nine years. The Hoosiers return NCAA participants from last year in Amanda Behnke, Brianna Johnson, Chanli Mundy and Bethany Neeley. Kelsey Duerksen is also back for her final season as she would have competed at the NCAA meet if not for injury.
| A Look Ahead |
With the 2014 season getting underway, it looks to be an exciting season for IUXC. With a top ten ranking for the men to start the year and the women riding some momentum from last year's success, things are looking up for the Hoosiers.
After the Indiana Open, IU will head to West Lafayette, Ind., to participate at the Indiana Intercollegiates on Sept. 19 to defend their crown as both the men and women took the top prize in the event a year ago. The Hoosiers will then head west to participate in the Washington Invitational on Oct. 4 in Seattle. IU will then split its squads to race at both the Adidias Invitational (Madison, Wis.) on Oct. 17 and the Pre-National meet (Terre Haute, Ind.) on Oct. 18.
The championship portion of the schedule will get started on Nov. 2 with the Big Ten Championships hosted by Iowa. IU will then host its final meet of the year with the Hoosier Invitational on Nov. 7. The Hoosiers will head back to Madison, Wis. for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Nov. 14 before the NCAA Championships take place in Terre Haute on Nov. 22.
Players Mentioned
