November 03, 2004
USI runners take aim at nationals
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana men’s and women’s cross country teams will place their national championship hopes in their top seven runners Saturday when they compete at the NCAA II Great Lakes Regional Championships in Edwardsville, Illinois.
The women’s squad, which is led by GLVC champion Heather Cooksey (Brownsburg, Indiana), has to finish in the top four to advance to the NCAA II National Championships, which will be held on the USI Cross Country Course November 20.
Cooksey is coming off a dominating performance at the conference meet and will be a favorite to win the regional title. The top five finishers and the top two individuals that are not on a qualifying team also will advance to the NCAA II Championships.
Sophomore Missy Burgin (Sellersburg, Indiana) joins Cooksey as they attempt to lead the Screaming Eagles to their third consecutive trip to the national championship meet.
The men’s squad, ranked No. 18 in the NCAA II Cross Country rankings, will have a tougher road to the NCAA II Championships as it needs to finish in the top three to advance. Junior Jesse Davis (Bloomington, Indiana) and senior Doug Schwartz (Centralia, Illinois) finished third and fourth, respectively, at the league meet and led the men’s squad to a second-place showing at the GLVC Championships.
Schwartz was an All-Region runner in 2003 after finishing sixth at last year’s regional meet. Like the women’s competition, the top five finishers and the top two individuals that are not on a qualifying team will advance to the national championships.
Dan McDonnell,
USI Sports Information
