Six Teams to Compete in the IU Open

Saturday, September 2

Bloomington, Ind.

9:20 a.m.

Indiana University

IU Open

9/1/2017 2:39:00 PM | Cross Country

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana University cross country team will launch the 2017 season by hosting the IU Open. A total of five teams will make the trek to compete at the IU Championship Cross Country Course, including a quartet of Big Ten rivals. Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State and Wisconsin will all run in the meet. Miami (OH) will crash the Big Ten party as the only non-conference opponent.

The women's 5k race is slated to begin at 9:20 a.m. with the men's 8k race with an estimated 10:10 a.m. start time.

Seven of the nine Hoosier women that ran in the Big Ten Championships return for the 2017 season, including Big Ten runner-up Katherine Receveur. The redshirt junior enjoyed a breakout season last year and became the first women's cross country All-American since Wendi Robinson in 2008.

Brenna Calder, a senior, was consistently IU's second-best runner as a junior. She earned a top-25 finish at the Big Ten Championships in Minnesota. Maggie Allen had a tremendous track and field campaign, including scoring points in both the indoor and outdoor Big Ten Championship meets. She will look to carry that momentum into this year's cross country season.

Both Haley Harris and Kelsey Harris will likely be leaned on a little more heavily this season. The twin sisters from Carmel will look to add depth to the already talented women's team. Rounding out the remaining Hoosiers with Big Ten Championship experience are Lexa Barrott, Hannah Stoffel and Grace Walther. All three enter their sophomore seasons in the cream and crimson.

The men's team returns just one-third of its participating runners from last season's Big Ten Championships. Sophomore Ben Veatch will likely spend the season as IU's lead runner. The former Carmel Greyhound standout was unanimously named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season after crossing eighth and earning second-team honors.

Redshirt sophomore Kyle Mau is coming off of an impressive track and field season. At the Indoor Big Ten Championships he earned Freshman of the Year honors after anchoring the winning distance medley relay team and securing third in the mile run. In the Outdoor Big Ten Championships he took silver in the 1,500m run. Fellow redshirt sophomore Bryce Millar will also play an important role on the team this season. Both ran in the top-five consistently on last season's team.

The remaining two top-five spots will be up for grabs this season. Joe Murphy, who enjoyed a breakout season in track last year, will be one of the many that will fight for a spot. Cooper Williams, Marcus Ellington and Kyle Burks will also be in the mix. Both Williams and Burks were strong in the outdoor track season last year.

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