Sept. 29, 2010
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame men’s and women’s cross country teams will play host to the 55th running of the Notre Dame Invitational Fri., Oct. 1. The competitive field will run at the nine-hole golf course located on Notre Dame’s campus. The contest will begin at 2:00 p.m. with the women’s gold race, followed by the men’s gold race at 2:45 p.m. The open race, women’s blue race and men’s blue race will conclude the event at 3:30 p.m., 4:15 p.m. 5:00 p.m., respectively.
There are a total of 48 schools bringing either their men’s or women’s teams to the event. The blue division men’s and women’s race will feature 14 teams ranked among the top 30 teams (according to USTFCCA’s Sept. 28 rankings). Among the men’s elite field are Oregon (#3), Alabama (#5), Villanova (#14), New Mexico (#16), Arizona State (#18), Florida State (#21), Butler (#27) and UCLA (#30). Highlighting the women’s side will be Villanova (#1), Florida State (#2), Washington (#3), Oregon (#5), Princeton (#8), and New Mexico (#12).
Last season, the men’s blue division team finished the five-mile race in 16th with 384 points. Senior Dan Jackson (Ann Arbor, Mich./Dexter) finished first for the Irish and 45th overall in 24:37, followed by 2010 graduate Jake Walker (Elwood City, Pa./Lincoln) in 24:57. Junior Joe Miller (Bowling Green, Ohio/St. John’s Jesuit) and Senior Ryan Jacobs (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah) crossed the line in 25:04 and 25:16, respectively.
Washington claimed the men’s blue division crown with 113 points in 2009, followed by Providence (119 points) and New Mexico in third (151 points).
Jacob Kirwa from New Mexico won the blue division individual title in 23:44.
The women’s blue division finished 10th and scored 288 points during the five-kilometer race. Lindsey Ferguson (Greenfield Center, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) crossed the line first for the Irish in 15th place with a time of 17:08. Senior Marissa Treece (Maple City, Mich./Glen Lake) finished in 17:38, followed by junior Rachel Velarde (Albuquerque, N.M./Eldorado) in 17:41 and Erica Watson (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) in 17:45.
Washington’s women’s team captured the team title with 33 points. Princeton scored 68 points for second place, followed by Florida (104 points) in third place.
Kendra Schaaf of Washington won the blue division women’s title, crossing the line in 16:31.
All results and a complete recap will be available at und.com following the meet.
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