TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Indiana State cross country season begins in earnest on Saturday, September 9 when both the men's and women's teams will host the 2017 John McNichols Invitational at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. The event begins with a women's 5K race at 9:30 a.m. with the men's 8K race to follow at 10:00 a.m.
John McNichols, the longest tenured head coach in Indiana State history, won 38 total team titles and coached 15 NCAA Champions, 10 NCAA Runners-Up, 113 All-Americans and 464 MVC Champions among many other noteworthy accomplishments -- including the designing and development of both the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course (site of 12 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships) and the Gibson Track & Field Complex.
The women's race features nine different schools including the host Sycamores who are ranked 14th in the preseason USTFCCA Great Lakes Region rankings and were picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference. Under the direction of third-year head coach Kyle Walsh, the Sycamore women finished 16th in the region last year with a team score of 387 which was the program's best score since 2001.Â
Leading the way in the Great Lakes Region meet was All-MVC honoree Brooke Moore. The Elkhart, Ind., native put together a 21:10.2 time in the 6K race to finish 43rd overall – the third-fastest 6K in school history. Taylor Austin, who finished All-Great Lakes in 2015, finished 67th at 21:34.4. Alli Workman concluded a strong first season with the Sycamores with an 82nd-place finish at 21:53.2, followed not far off by sophomores Megan Doty in 92nd at 22:02.9 and Taylor Rogers in 103rd at 22:15.5.
"In 2016, our women's team posted their best team score since 2001 and finished 16th," coach Walsh commented. "Fifth-year senior Taylor Austin is coming off of her NCAA qualifying steeplechase season and will lead our team to close the gap on a top 10 regional finish for the first time in school history. Alli Workman was honorable mention All-MVC as a freshman and will play a large role in our success during her sophomore campaign."
Michigan headlines the women's field with a lofty No. 3 national ranking and they sit atop the always powerful Great Lakes Region Preseason Poll. Louisville also visits Terre Haute with a No. 2 ranking in the Southeast Region and a spot at No. 28 in the national poll. Joining the field is Cincinnati, MVC rival Evansville, Marian, McKendree, St. Mary (Kansas) and Rose-Hulman.
The men's race also features nine teams including the homestanding Sycamores who were picked to finish third in the MVC Preseason Poll and are ranked No. 12 in the Great Lakes Region Preseason Poll. The Sycamore men are led by coach Kyle Walsh who is in his first season leading the program as he takes over the reigns from Indiana State legend John McNichols. Indiana State recorded a fantastic ninth place finish in the Great Lakes Regional last year which represented a significant jump from their predicted finish of 15th. The Sycamores placed four runners in the Top 60 including returnees Akis Medrano (38th, 31:29.9), Seth Cousins (49th, 31:42.7) and Quentin Pierce (60th, 41:58.3). The Sycamore men were picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll.
"We are picked 12th heading into this season while looking to replace our track All-American David Timlin and strong fifth runner Daniel Swem," coach Walsh said. "We return All-MVC athlete Akis Medrano as well as solid returners sophomore Seth Cousins and junior Quentin Pierce. The Great Lakes Region is historically strong but we will gear our training to make a push for another top 10 finish and look to surprise some teams in November."
Joining the Sycamores are Illinois who is ranked No. 3 in the Midwest Region and No. 27 nationally. Butler of the Big East comes to Terre Haute with a No. 6 ranking in the Great Lakes Region which Louisville is No. 12 in the Southeast Region and will serve as the host of the 2017 NCAA Division I Championships. St. Mary (Kansas) has been picked to win the KCAC in 2017. Also in the field is Evansville, Marian, McKendree and Rose-Hulman.Â
After the meet, Sycamore fans will head over to Hulman Links Golf Course for lunch beginning at Noon and then a golf fundraiser which starts at 1 pm as well as a wine & canvas event which begins at the same time.
Live results for the event will be provided via a link at the top of the this story of at TimingMD.net.
