Oct. 12, 2016
VANDERBILT WOMEN
Event: Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
Day, Date: Friday, Oct. 14
Host: Wisconsin
Site: Zimmer Championship Course
Start Times:
Women’s “B” Division Race – 11 a.m. Women’s Championship Division Race – 12:30 p.m.
Course Map: HERE
Results: HERE
The Vanderbilt women’s cross country team will travel up north this weekend to Madison, Wisc. this weekend to compete in the eighth-annual Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. With 18 ranked opponents in the 31-team field, the event is considered one of the nation’s premier collegiate meets. The Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course has hosted other top events such as the 2010 Big Ten Championship, four NCAA Great Lakes Regionals and will also host the 2016 NCAA Great Lakes Regional.
Another stacked field of competitors: Much like the race at Notre Dame last week, the Commodores will be lined up against a host of talent-rich teams this weekend, including 18 teams that are ranked in the latest USTFCCCA poll and six more teams that are receiving votes. The list of ranked opponents includes: No. 1 Providence, No. 3 North Carolina State, No. 4 Washington, No. 6 Michigan State, No. 10 Boise State, No. 11 New Mexico, No. 15 BYU, No. 17 Yale, No. 18 Georgetown, No. 19 San Francisco, No. 20 Syracuse, No. 21 Baylor, No. 23 Utah, No. 24 SMU, T-26. Iowa State, T-26. Penn, No. 28 Notre Dame and No. 29 Harvard.
Scheduled to run for Vanderbilt: The Commodores are slated to have 12 athletes race this weekend at Wisconsin. Among those scheduled to run for the Vanderbilt women in the 11 a.m. race includes: Reagan Bustamante, Carmen Carlos, Kendall Derry, Ginger Hutton and Courtney Kriegshauser. The seven runners that will be competing in the Championship Division race at 12:30 p.m. are Reagan Anderson, Maddie Criscione, Devon Grisbaum, Megan Huebner, Lauren Moffett, Mailin Struck and Sara Tsai.
Most recent action: Competing against their highest level of competition of the season, the No. 24-ranked Vanderbilt women — paced by Sara Tsai — finished 18th in the Women’s Blue Division 5k at the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday.
Tsai, who also paced the Commodores in their first two races this season, finished 43rd overall with a time of 17:03.70. (Full recap and results: HERE)
Looking back to last year: Caroline Pietrzyk paced the VU runners and took 35th overall with a time of 20:22.6 to help the Commodores earn an 18th place finish. Sara Tsai was the second VU runner across the line, taking 94th at 20:55.9. New Mexico won the meet, finishing with 32 points. Arkansas was second with 188 points and Virginia was third at 217. Individually, Boise State’s Allie Ostrander won the meet and set a new course record with a time of 19:19.5. (Full recap and results: HERE)
VANDERBILT MEN
Event: Crimson Classic
Day, Date: Friday, Oct. 14
Host: Alabama
Site: Harry Pritchett Running Park
Start Time: 9 a.m.
Course Map: HERE
Results: HERE
The men’s cross country team will travel down to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to compete in the Crimson Classic. The 35-team field includes eight other schools from the SEC, which will give Vanderbilt a preview of how they stack up against the competition two weeks before the SEC Conference Championship meet on Oct. 28.
Scheduled to run for Vanderbilt: The Commodores are slated to have 10 athletes wearing the black and gold this weekend. Scheduled to run for Vanderbilt men are: Dan Arthur, Caleb Casolaro, Sam DeFabrizio, Waqqas Fazili, Nikos Gkotsis, Andrew Irvine, Evan Suzman, Harrison Thomas, Jake Van Geffen and Jason Vincze.
Most recent action: In the Men’s Gold 5-mile race at the Notre Dame Invitational, Vanderbilt freshmen Andrew Irvine led the way for the Commodores, finishing 66th overall with a time of 25.49.90. Nikolaos Gkotsis took 86th at 26:06.00 for the Commodores, who finished 20th in the team standings. (Full recap and results: HERE)
Looking back to last year: Vanderbilt earned a 17th-place finish to close out its 2015 regular season last year. Jake Van Geffen paced the Commodores with a time of 26:01.60, good for 71st place. Other top-100 finishes for Vanderbilt included Nick French (26:16.80) and Jason Vincze (26:24.00). (Full recap and results: HERE)
QUOTING THE COACHES:
Here’s what head coach Steve Keith and assistant coach Rebekah Smeltzer are saying about this weekend’s meets.
Head coach Steve Keith:
On the excitement the women’s team has to get back to racing this weekend:
“The women are definitely motivated after Notre Dame. Two good weeks of training and an extra 1000m should make things interesting.”
On the strength of competition in the Wisconsin field:
“Wisconisin continues to be the most challenging race in the country every season. This year there are 18 ranked teams and six more who received votes who will be competing in the field of 31 this weekend.”
On the objectives for the men’s team this weekend at Alabama:
“The men ran their best grouping (25″ 1-5) at Notre Dame. We are healthier now and are excited to see how we match up against some targeted SEC competition.”
Assistant coach Rebekah Smeltzer:
On the importance of this week’s race to build postseason momentum:
“With this being the last race before postseason, our emphasis is on managing ourselves and being competitive. If we fully immerse ourselves in the competition from when the gun goes off to racing past the finish line then we are going to be in a great spot on Friday and for the championship portion of the season. The women know what they are capable of — and while Notre Dame wasn’t a great indicator of that — we come into this meet with a reaffirmed purpose.
On the expereience the team gains from competing at large meets:
“Notre Dame and Wisconsin are two very competitive meets. Notre Dame was a great test for us. We learned a lot from that meet as individuals and as a team. Wisconsin is going to be no different. These meets have and are great opportunities for growth. Learning from each race will only serve us well going into the championship portion of the season.”
