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Cross Country
Panthers Head to Roy Griak InvitationalSept. 25, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format Saturday, Sept. 27 Roy Griak Invitational Minneapolis, Minn.
The University of Northern Iowa cross country teams will head to Minneapolis, Minn. to take part in the 23rd Annual Roy Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota. The meet will be held at the Les Bolstad Golf Course. The men’s teams will run an 8K race beginning at 12:10 p.m. followed by the women’s 6K race, scheduled to start at 12:55.
LAST TIME OUT... The Panther women’s team secured two top-ten finishes at the Iowa State Open in Ames Saturday afternoon. Caedryn Shrunk was the first to cross the finish line for the Panthers, finishing 6th overall in a time of 22:14.00 in the women’s 6K run.
Freshman Carly Olsen secured a 10th place finish, clocking in at 22:28.00. Andrea Wacker finished in 23:06.00 and 20th place overall. Danielle Nowasell finished 24th with a time of 23.17:00.
On the men’s side, Mike Clancy was the top performer for the Panthers, clocking in a time of 27:49.40 for 21st place overall in the men’s 8K race. Mike Cooper finished 28th with a time of 28:43.99. Jason Mitchell was the next to cross the finish line for the Panthers clocking in at 29:01.72. Brady Fritz and Alex Mark finished in 29:27.17 and 29:31.03 respectively.
MAKING HER MARK EARLY Despite the young look of the Panther women’s cross country team, they continue perform well against the nation’s best. Freshman Carly Olsen competed in just her second collegiate career against some of the nation’s top cross country programs, finishing in the top ten. Olsen came across the finish line 10th with a 6K time of 22:28.00.
AN IMPRESSIVE DEBUT The Hawkeye Invitational marked the debut for three freshmen on the Panther women’s cross country team. Carly Olsen finished her first collegiate race in second place, clocking in at 10:44.09. Danielle Nowasell came across the finish line in fifth place with a time of 10:56.29 and fellow newcomer Jill Lageschulte finished seventh in 11:12.47.
FINISHING WHERE SHE LEFT OFF Senior Caedryn Shrunk picked up right where she left off last season as one of the Panthers top runners. Shrunk crossed the finish line first at the Hawkeye Invitational, clocking in a time of 10:39.58 to take the top honors. Schrunk was also the top finisher for the Panthers at the Iowa State Open, finishing 6th overall in a time of 22:14.
SEASON PREVIEW Women Despite having just seven athletes, including three freshmen, on the women’s roster and a new coaching staff, the women look to build on last year’s team that finished third at the Missouri Valley Championships.
The clear-cut leader for the young Panthers this season will be Caedryn Schrunk (Spirit Lake, Iowa/ Spirit Lake). Schrunk was a consistent top-two finisher for the Panthers last season, earning All-MVC honors with a 5-kilometer time of 17:43.51. Schrunk’s personal best in the 6K came at the Bradley Classic (21:18).
Jessa Schweitzer (Aurora, Iowa/East Buchanan) and Andrea Wacker (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) are also returning for their junior seasons. Schweitzer recorded her season-best in the 6K at the Bradley Classic, clocking in at 23:21. Wacker was the consistent third finisher for the Panthers throughout the 2007 season. Wacker finished 87th at the NCAA Midwest Regional, with a sesason-best time of 22:14 in the 6K race.
Sophomore Regina Reinig (Portsmouth, Iowa/Harlan) returns for a second season with the Panthers. Reinig finished 37th at the MVC Championships, with a 5K time of 18:59.33.
Rounding out the women’s roster are newcomers Jill Lageschulte (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown), Danielle Nowasell (Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell) and Carly Olsen (Missouri Valley, Iowa/Logan-Magnolia).
David Paulsen enters his first year as assistant track and field and cross country coach, after spending two years as head cross country coach at Central College in Pella, Iowa.
MEN SENIOR LEADER As the only returning senior for the Panthers, Mike Clancy as shown his leadership qualities by example. Clancy came across the finish line first for the Panthers at the Iowa State Open, clocking in a time of 27:49.40 in the 8K race.
YOUNG GUNS The Panther underclassmen have made a significant impact this season, as freshmen Aaron Vosberg and Mike Cooper finished second and third respectively for the Panthers at the Iowa State Open. Vosberg finished 25th with a time of 28:15.36, while Cooper came in 28th with a time of 28:43.99. Jason Mitchell, Brady Fritz and Alex Mark finished 30th, 31st and 32nd respectively and David Nielson came in 35th.
SEASON PREVIEW Much like their female counterparts, the Panther men enter the 2008 season with a young squad, setting their sights on moving up in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
UNI lists just two seniors on the men’s cross country roster, with Mike Clancy (Iowa City, Iowa/West) the only returning member. Fellow senior Mike Stout (Perry, Iowa/Perry/Univ. of Iowa) is a transfer from the University of Iowa and will start his career in the Purple and Gold this fall.
Clancy recorded the best 10K time for the Panthers last season, clocking in at 32:32 at the NCAA Midwest Regional, finishing 82nd overall. Clancy’s season-best in the 8K came at the Bradley Classic with a time of 25:54.
Joining Clancy and Stout this season will be returning underclassmen Corbin Miller (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown) and Jason Mitchell (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls). Miller recorded his season-best finish at the Bradley Classic, finishing the 8K in 26:41.
Rounding out the rest of the men’s roster are seven freshmen including; Mike Cooper (Dayton, Iowa/Southest Webster), Brady Fritz (Iowa City, Iowa/West), Alex Mark (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls), David Nielsen (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Northern University), Andrew Perkins (Watertown, Wis./Watertown), Nate Nissen (Marion, Iowa/Marion) and Aaron Vosberg (Farnhamville, Iowa/Prairie Valley).
MVC POLL: UNI WOMEN FIFTH, MEN SIXTH The Panther women received 62 points in the MVC’s preseason coaches poll. Missouri State took the top spot in the poll, taking six of the first-place votes and 95 overall points. Wichita State followed in a close second with 91 points and three first-place votes. Illinois State and Southern Illinois tied for third place with 69 points.
The UNI men’s squad was tabbed to finish sixth and garnered 35 points in the preseason poll, which named Southern Illinois (77 points) the league’s preseason favorite.
UNI CROSS COUNTRY ON THE INTERNET The latest information on the UNI cross country program and all 18 Panther teams can be found at the official Web site of UNI Athletics, www.UNIPanthers.com. Along with live streaming audio and video, fans and media can access updated schedules, results, news, statistics and profiles of student-athletes at the site, which is updated daily by UNI Athletics Media Relations.
PRESS LUNCHEONS Each Monday, UNI’s in-season coaches will speak at noon in the back room of Pepper’s Grill and Sports Pub, located on 18th Street in Cedar Falls. The public and media are invited to attend and hear what the coaches have to say about their teams.
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