University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country return to action Saturday when the Screaming Eagles compete at the Trevecca Nazarene University Division II Showcase Invitational at Vaughn’s Gap Course at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee. The men’s race is set to begin at 8 a.m., while the women’s race follows at 9 a.m.
About Trevecca Division II Showcase Invitational
Saturday’s race marks the fourth annual Trevecca Showcase Invitational and is the first time the Eagles will participate at the event. The men’s course will be an eight-kilometer competition, while the women will compete on a 5k course.
According to TNU’s website, Vaughn’s Gap Course is well known to runners and cross country programs across the Southeast and the nation. The course is a regular site for SEC, the A-SUN Championships and numerous other college and high school events each year.
The Competition
A total of 12 schools are scheduled to compete in Nashville this week, including GLVC foe Truman State University. The Eagles are one of five programs from the Midwest Region competing this week, with Truman, Trevecca Nazarene, Saginaw Valley State University and Oakland City rounding out the Midwest Region competition.
USI will be one of five ranked teams in this week’s men’s race, with No. 10 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, No. 16 Lee University, t-No. 20 Saginaw Valley State and t-No. 20 University of Charleston joining the Eagles.
The Eagles also are one of three Top 25 teams in this weekend’s women’s field, with No. 11 Lee and No. 14 UC-Colorado Springs competing. Saginaw Valley State is receiving votes in the poles.
Speaking of Rankings
USI held its spots as the Eagles are ranked No. 8 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Top 25 men’s poll and No. 12 in the latest USTFCCCA Top 25 women’s poll.
Last time out
USI’s men are coming off a first-place performance at the Stegemoller Classic. Led by junior Gavin Prior (Mattoon, Illinois), the Eagles sent the top eight finishers across the finish line and nine of the top 10 as they posted the perfect score.
The Eagles also were impressive in the women’s race as juniors Jennifer Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Doriane Langlois (Stains, France) cruised to first and second-place finishes, respectively. Freshman Presley Warren (Henderson, Kentucky) was one of three USI runners in the top four and one of six in the top nine as the Eagles cruised to a comfortable win in their season-opener.
