NORMAL, Ill. – After two weeks of hard training without competition, the Illinois State cross country teams will return to action Saturday when they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to compete in the Greater Louisville Invitational. Both the men's and women's squads will be competing in the Gold Race, with the men's 8K beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the women's 5K following at 9:15 a.m.
"At Louisville, we look to execute a team race, communicate well in our groupings, and remain mentally tough through the last one-third of the race," said Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Jeff Bovee. "This is our first competition in three weeks, so we have had ample time to train and prepare, and I have undoubtedly seen improvement in our training sessions."
The meet will be contested at the renowned E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park, which is the site of the 2017 Division I National Championships. Over the years, the course has hosted five NAIA National Championships, the 2010, 2014, and 2016 NCAA Division II National Championships, and the 2012 and 2015 NCAA Division I National Championships.
The 'Birds will be racing in a loaded field as top teams from around the country take their swing at the 2017 NCAA Championships course. In the men's race, composed of 37 teams, 23 of the teams are ranked in the top-15 on the USTFCCCA's Division I Cross Country Regional Rankings. Four of these teams are ranked first in their respective regions: Wisconsin, Northern Arizona, Furman, and Middle Tennessee State. Three additional teams (Princeton, Virginia Tech, and Illinois) sit in the top-three.
After placing third overall with an 8K time of 25:07.80 in his last outing at the ISU Invite, junior Kyle Mattes will look to lead the Redbirds as they take on some of the nation's powerhouses. Kevin Koski, Jack Anstey, and Scott Anderson, who each finished in the top-15 at the ISU Invite, will also be key to Illinois State's success this weekend as the team seeks to improve upon its No. 15 ranking in the Midwest Region.
The women's field will be just as competitive, with 26 of the 43 teams being ranked in the top-15 on the USTFCCCA's Division I Cross Country Regional Rankings. The women's race includes a trio of teams ranked second in their respective regions (Furman, Minnesota, and Vanderbilt), as well as five additional top-five teams.
Sophomores Dakota Roman and Grace Beattie will be the guiding force for the Redbirds this weekend as the women look to crack the top-15 rankings in the Midwest Region. Two weeks ago at the ISU Invite, Roman's personal-best 5K time of 18:00.00 was good for eighth overall, while Beattie finished shortly behind in 13th.
Live action can be followed on Twitter via @Redbird_TrackXC. Full coverage will be available on GoRedbirds.com following the conclusion of the meet.
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