Ball State University Athletics
Cross Country Heads To Greater Louisville Classic
October 02, 2015 | Cross Country
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State cross country team returns to the course Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m., when it makes its first of two consecutive trips to E.P. 'Tom” Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky., for the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic.
The Cardinals, who have been focusing on training since the Indiana Intercollegiate Championships (Sept. 18), are set to compete in the 35-team Women's 5K Blue Race on the course which will host the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship in late November, as well as the Pre-National meet in mid-October. Fans can follow the action at the Great Louisville Classic at the following link: http://alltraxtiming.homestead.com/glc_2015main.html
“We are getting people back healthy who were a little banged up entering the season,” first-year distance coach Raynee DeGrio said about the past two weeks of training. “We are seeing our girls get more comfortable in training, and adjusting to our style of coaching. We are also beginning to work better as a group, which is very important heading into big races like this weekend's meet.”
Traditionally, the Greater Louisville Classic has hosted some of the nation's elite programs, and this year will be no different as 120 teams are set to compete in one of the three women's 5K races. Highlighting the list of nationally-ranked teams entered in Saturday's meet are No. 6 Iowa State, No. 8 Michigan, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 13 West Virginia, No. 19 Penn State and No. 23 Minnesota. Lipscomb, which received voted in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Top 30 Poll, is slated to run in the women's blue race along with the Cardinals.
“This is a meet where we are going to see a lot of the top teams in the country, which is good for us as we prepare for the MAC Championships at the end of the month,” DeGrio said. “Being able to see what the top teams in both our conference and in the country look like, and getting a taste of that high-level competition, is critical as we look to build the same kind of success here. This weekend's meet will be a lot faster than what we have seen so far this year. Our goal is to run our race and stay composed no matter what is happening around us.”
Freshman Rachel Bales (West Lafayette, Ind./West Lafayette) enters Saturday's meet with the Cardinals' top 5K time this season after placing 21st among the 180-runner field at the Indiana Intercollegiates with a career-fast effort of 19:16.3. Sophomore Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) enters with the team's second-best 5K mark of the year, at 19:47.3, set at the season-opening Butler Open (Sept. 5).
Junior Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove), who is continuing to work back from injury, enters the meet with the fastest career 5K time,18:58.35, set her freshman year at the Mel Brodt Invitational (Sept. 13, 2013).
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.
Ball State Season / Career Fast Times
|
Runner |
2015 Top 5K Times () or * = career best |
2015 Top 6K Time () or * = career best |
|
19:16.3* on 9/18/15 |
N/A |
|
|
19:47.3 on 9/5/15 (19:30.60 on 10/3/14) |
N/A (24:33.12 on 9/5/14) |
|
|
20:06.1 on 9/18/15 (19:09.68 on 9/13/13) |
N/A (23:26 on 11/1/14) |
|
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20:54.4 on 9/18/15 (18:58.35 on 9/13/13) |
N/A (23:27 on 11/15/13) |
|
|
20:59.5 on 9/18/15 (20:34.48 on 10/4/14) |
N/A (25:47.2 on 11/7/14) |
|
|
21:09.1 on 9/5/15 (19:36.83 on 9/13/14) |
N/A (23:49 on 11/1/14) |
|
|
21:15.7 on 9/5/15 (20:23.5 on 10/3/14) |
N/A (25:44.01 on 9/5/14) |
|
|
21:56.8* on 9/18/15 |
N/A |
|
|
22:13.8* on 9/5/15 |
N/A (29:48.27 on 9/7/13) |
|
|
N/A (19:12.4 on 10/3/14) |
N/A (23:42 on 11/1/14) |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
- BallStateSports.com -
