November 18, 2002
USI women’s cross country to compete at nationals,
USI men’s Joey Byrne to compete as individual
After finishing fifth at the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional meet less than two weeks ago, the University of Southern Indiana women’s cross country team will be making its final preparations for the NCAA II National Championship meet, scheduled to take place this Saturday, November 23, in Ashland, Ohio. It is the first time since 1999 that the Screaming Eagles have qualified for nationals as a team.
A trio of runners should lead the pack for the Eagles. Junior Jenny Farmer (Princeton, Indiana) and sophomore Casey Schneider (New Salisbury, Indiana) have been USI’s top two runners this season, but both have been pushed by freshman Heather Cooksey (Brownsburg, Indiana).
Both Farmer and Schneider earned All-Region honors after finishing 11th and 15th, respectively, at the regional meet in Hudsonville, Michigan. Cooksey finished 24th in the 6k meet. All-three earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors after finishing in the top seven at the GLVC meet in October.
USI men’s runner Joey Byrne (Georgetown, Indiana) also will compete at nationals in Ashland, Ohio. Byrne finished third at the regional meet in Hudsonville, Michigan, and qualified as an individual.
After winning the GLVC championship for the second consecutive year, Byrne will be looking to earn All-America honors for a second straight season. Byrne finished 13th at last year’s national meet.
The Eagles will practice on the USI Cross Country Course at 3 p.m. today and Wednesday. USI will hold a one-mile time trial on the Reitz High School track (Barker Avenue) at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. The Eagles will depart for Ashland, Ohio, Thursday at 9 a.m.
Dan McDonnell,
USI Sports Information
