Michigan State Cross Country To Host Spartan Invitational
9/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Sept. 14, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - >
Spartan Invitational Race Schedule
The Michigan State cross country team will host its lone home event of the year, the Nike/Playmakers Spartan Invitational, at Forest Akers East Golf Course, Friday, Sept. 15. Approximately 10 collegiate teams on both the men's and women's side will be represented, and over 2,800 high school and middle school athletes. The women's collegiate 6K race will begin at 2 p.m. and the men's 8K at 2:35 p.m., with the high school and middle school races following.
The second event for the cross country program this year, both Spartan teams enter the weekend ranked in the top-30 by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, as the women are ranked No. 23 and the men No. 28.
"This is a very big meet for us for many different reasons," associate head coach Rita Arndt-Molis stated. "The first of those reasons is experience. When the events in November are the focus of the year, everything before then is essentially building up to that point. We will use this to see where our training is and to help us begin to sort out our team."
"The next reason is the community involvement, which we really pride ourselves on," Arndt-Molis said. "We have many of the top high school programs from the state in attendance and great sponsors. The course is athlete and spectator friendly and we want to provide an enjoyable experience. The last reason is that it is a chance for us to showcase Michigan State and our program. We have a great team and want to represent MSU well."
Both the men's and women's teams represented Michigan State well in 2005, with the Spartan women making their fifth-consecutive trip to the national meet, after placing fifth at the Great Lakes Regional, and the men narrowly missing the national stage with a seventh-place finish at the regional meet. The Spartans already made a statement in their first meet this season, at the Jeff Drenth Memorial, Sept. 1. The women's team took the top four finishes at the unscored three-team event, while the men's side saw eight runners finish in the top 15.
"We have a talented group on both the men's and women's side," Arndt Molis added. "We are confident in the direction we are headed. Our goal is to keep making progress, learn from ourselves and follow our past successes."
Pacing the women's team are Alissa McKaig and Nicole Bush. McKaig, a Baylor transfer, was named Big Ten Runner of the Week in week one (MSU's first since 2004), after taking first place in the Jeff Drenth Memorial. Bush, who was unable to compete during last year's cross country season due to mononucleosis, excelled during the track and field season, garnering All-America honors after a fifth-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Championships. Other top runners to look for will be Katie Kelly, Michelle Rafferty and Sarah Price, all of whom finished in the top 10 at the Jeff Drenth Memorial.
For the Spartan men's team, depth is its strength, as several individuals will compete throughout the season for the top seven spots. Junior Stephan Shay and senior Jim Pancoast turned in the top two finishes for Michigan State at the Jeff Drenth Memorial and should lead the team again this weekend.
"We have 12 to 13 runners that are competing for those top seven spots on the men's side," Arndt-Molis said. "They are a very, very deep team, and there isn't much separation between the first seven and the second seven. The women don't quite have the depth the men do, but they have the caliber."
Last season, Shay turned in the top men's performance at the Spartan Invitational with a second-place finish, running unattached with a time of 24:46. Kelly was the top finisher for the women, crossing the finish line at 21:20, for a seventh-place finish.
Players Mentioned
