Oct. 12, 2017
By Megan Golden
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country teams will divide and conquer this weekend, when they compete at two of the most competitive meets in the country. The Irish women will race at the Nuttycombe Invitational on Friday, and the men’s squad will travel to Pre-Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday.
WHAT: Nuttycombe Invitational (women only)
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 13, 2017
WHERE: Thomas Zimmer Championship Course (Madison, Wisconsin)
LIVE RESULTS: Click here.
WHAT: Pre-Nationals (men only)
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017
WHERE: E.P. Tom Sawyer Park (Louisville, Ky.)
LIVE RESULTS: Click here.
LIVE STREAM: Click here.
The women’s team will seek contributions from co-captain Rachel DaDamio and senior Jessica Harris, who won two Atlantic Coast Conference Championships in track last season. Harris will compete in her third meet of the season and will try to help the women rebound from their 13th-place finish at the Joe Piane Invitational on Sept. 29.
“The Joe Piane Invitational was a good wake-up call for the women,” Irish associate head coach Matt Sparks said. “They have had a great two weeks of practice and are looking for redemption at Wisconsin this weekend.”
The Notre Dame men’s lineup features co-captains Brent Kennedy and Kevin Pulliam, who recorded the top Irish finish at the Joe Piane Invitational.
For the men’s team, Saturday’s Pre-Nationals meet will serve as a precursor to the upcoming Atlantic Coast Conference Championships at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville. Should the Irish continue to advance through the national championships, they would race on the exact same course for a third time this season.
“We will get a preview of the ACC meet while at Louisville,” Notre Dame assistant coach Sean Carlson said. “The ACC meet is held on the same course, and there will be some ACC schools at the meet this weekend. The men are looking to use this weekend to build momentum going into the ACC Championships.”
This weekend’s action marks the final regular-season competition for both the men’s and the women’s teams. The Irish will compete at the ACC Championships on Oct. 27.
Irish Lineup
Women’s Race:
Rachel DaDamio
Kaitlin Frei
Jessica Harris
Kelly Hart
Annie Heffernan
AnnaSophia Keller
Claudia Magnussen
Erin Sullivan
Men’s Seeded Race:
Brent Kennedy
Tyler Keslin
Yared Nuguse
Kevin Pulliam
Connor Sheryak
Bradley Wattleworth
Vince Zona
Men’s Unseeded Race:
Andrew Alexander
Brian Griffith
Ryan Schweizer
Megan Golden, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since August of 2016. In her role, she coordinates all media efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer and cross country/track and field programs. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Golden is a 2014 graduate of Saint Mary’s College and former Irish women’s basketball manager. Prior to arriving at Notre Dame, she worked in public relations with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.