The University of Southern Indiana has the opportunity to claim a Great Lakes Valley Conference title on its own campus for the first time since 2004-USI won the GLVC Volleyball Tournament at the Physical Activities Center-when the Screaming Eagles host the GLVC Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships Saturday at the USI Cross Country Course.
USI’s men, ranked sixth in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Top 25 poll, are searching for their seventh straight GLVC title and their league-best 19th in the program’s 33-year history.
The Eagles, whose 18 league titles are the most of any sport in GLVC history, are 6-0 against NCAA Division II teams this season and 2-0against conference opponents.
Junior Michael Jordan (Indianapolis, Indiana) has stepped into the number one runner spot for theEagles throughout the season. Jordan has twice been named the GLVC Runner of the Week and is among the favorites to capture this season’s individual title.
In addition to USI, No. 17 Bellarmine University is the only other nationally-ranked team in Saturday’s 13-team men’s field. The Knights were third at last year’s GLVC Championships.
USI’s women, ranked 19th in the latest USTFCCCA Top 25 poll, are looking to capture the conference title for the first timesince 2009 and their third in the last four years. The Eagles have won fiveconference titles in the program’s history, all of which have come in the last 13 seasons.
Senior All-American Jackie Henderson (Schererville, Indiana), a two-time GLVC Runner of the Week, is among the favorites to capture the women’s individual title this season. Henderson was second at the GLVC Championships last season as the Eagles lost the team title to Bellarmine by just two points.
Henderson led the Eagles to a first-place finish last weekend at the Fast Cats Classic by finishing first in the 107-competitor field.
In addition to USI, No. 17 Bellarmine is the only other nationally-ranked team in Saturday’s 13-team women’s field. The Knights edged the Eagles at the Greater Louisville Classic in their only other meeting this season.
The women’s 6k race is slated for 10:30 a.m., while the men’s 8k race is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Below are a list of frequently asked questions for Saturday’s meet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Admission prices: Admission is free of charge.
Location: The USI Cross Country Course is located at the Broadway Recreation Complex on the south end of USI’s campus.
General Spectator Parking: General spectator parking is located near the USI Baseball Field and Strassweg Field, both of which are located at the south end of Bennett Lane. To get to Bennett Lane, take University Boulevard and turn left onto Bennett Lane, which runs in front of the Physical Activities Center. (See Campus Map)
Team/Media/Handicap Parking: Team, media, handicap, and meet administrator parking is available at the Broadway Recreation Complex. To access the Broadway Recreation Complex, go south on Schutte Road. At the stop sign, take a right and the complex will be on the right-hand side. (GPS Address: 7560 Broadway Avenue, Evansville, IN 47712)
To get to the course from parking lot: Follow the USI-Burdette Bike/Walking trail south to the USI Cross Country Course.
