The University of Southern Indiana men’s and women’s cross country teams have now raced their way into the postseason and the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Meet in Hillsdale, Michigan this Saturday.
Coming off of its 14-straight Great Lakes Valley Conference title, the USI men’s moves up one spot in the USTFCCCA Region Poll to No. 5 as two other GLVC teams enter the poll, Lewis at No. 9 and Illinois-Springfield at No. 10.
Junior Austin Nolan (Evansville, Indiana) and freshman Titus Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee) are coming off of GLVC accolades. Nolan captured the GLVC title in 24:06.23 garnering the GLVC Runner of the Year award. Winders came in second in 24:33.2 for the GLVC Newcomer of the Year award.
Nolan and Winders have also earned Runner of the Week honors this fall as well. Nolan was twice the GLVC Runner of the Week as well as the USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week. Winders was named GLVC Runner of the Week once this season.
Junior Nathan Hall (Springfield, Missouri), sophomore Grady Wilkinson (Mt Carmel, Illinois), junior Javan Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee), and junior Matthew Everling (Avon, Indiana) all were named All-GLVC for their top-15 finishes.
Sophomore Jennifer Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) and freshman Haley Barker (Boonville, Indiana) looks to continue recent success after All-GLVC accolades with fifth and 10th-place finishes at the GLVC Championships. Barker was also the second freshman to finish at the GLVC Championships as well.
Junior Ashley Lawhorn (Frankfort, Kentucky) was just outside of the All-GLVC honor with her 21st-place performance.
The top three teams from each regional meet will earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Division II Championship meet in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 1. An additional 10 teams will be selected by a committee for an at-large bid for a grand total of 34 teams.
Also, the top two individuals not on a qualifying team from each regional meet will be granted automatic qualification. Any individual who finishes in the top five of a regional meet will also be granted automatic qualification.
The men’s race is slated to start at 9:30 C.T. with the women being on the line at 10:45.
TAKE NOTE:
- USI men are ranked No. 5 in the Midwest Region poll
- The Eagles’ men’s team has taken 14-straight GLVC Championships
- The men are currently winless against head-to-head competition against the top five regional teams
- Nolan and Winders are coming off of a 1-2 finish at the GLVC Championships
- Hall, Wilkinson, Javan Winders, and Everling all gained All-GLVC accolades in the men’s race
- This is the first time this season the men will race a 10-kilometer distance (6.2 miles)
- Comastri and Barker were honored as All-GLVC on the women’s side
- USI women finished fifth at the GLVC Championships
- The women’s squad is also still unranked in the Midwest Region poll
