DePaul University Athletics
Cross Country Enters Midwest Regional Championships
11/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
CHICAGO The DePaul men’s and women’s cross country teams travel to Stillwater, Okla. this weekend for the 2008 NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. Saturday’s meet at the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course opens with a women’s 6K race at 11 a.m. (CST) and continues with a men’s 10K trek at 11:45 a.m.
Terah Cheatham and Mary Cate Quiett have taken turns pacing the team throughout the 2008 season. Most recently, Cheatham finished 74th at the BIG EAST Conference Championships with a 6K time of 22:54. Quiett’s fastest time to date occurred at the Bradley Classic where she logged a season-best mile pace of 5:55 to finish the 6K course in 22:05.
The men’s squad is led by Matthew Graham and Jakub Kolacz. Graham, who has been the Blue Demon’s top finisher in four races this season saw his best time at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational, where he recorded an 8K time of 25:19. Kolacz most recently paced DePaul at the BIG EAST Championships, crossing the line at 26:03 to place 52nd.
The field of competition features 31 women’s teams and 28 men’s teams. Both races include squads currently ranked the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national poll. The women’s race boasts No. 7 Minnesota, No. 14 Illinois, No. 20 Iowa, and No. 29 Nebraska, while the men’s competition holds No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 15 Tulsa, and No. 21 Iowa State.
The top two teams from the Midwest Regional advance to the 2008 NCAA National Championships along with the top two teams from the eight other NCAA Regions. The remainder of the 31-team NCAA Championships field consists of 13 at-large teams selected by the NCAA Division I track and field sub-committee.
In addition to the teams qualifying for the NCAA Championships, thirty-six individuals automatically qualify for the race on the basis of finishing in the top four at their respective NCAA Regionals and not being on an advancing team. Two additional individuals are selected at-large by the committee to round out the field of 255 competitors. All individual qualifiers must finish in the top 25 of their event.
The 2008 NCAA Cross Country Championships are hosted by Indiana State University and are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 24, in Terre Haute, Ind.
Visit www.depaulbluedemons.com or the cross country Championship Central for the latest results and awards.