DePaul University Athletics
Cross Country Unveils 2009 Schedule
7/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
CHICAGO - DePaul men’s and women’s head cross country coach Pat Savage unveiled the program’s 2009 schedule today. The squads race in five regular-season meets before the BIG EAST Conference Championship in late October.
For the second straight year, the Blue Demons get the season underway by hosting the DePaul Opener at Channel Runne Park in Lincolnwood. The women’s 4K starts at 6:00 pm (CST) followed by a men’s 4-mile race.
The second week of competition takes DePaul to Peoria, Ill. for the Bradley Open, before traveling to Notre Dame, Ind. for the next two meets. On Sept. 18, BIG EAST rival Notre Dame hosts the National Catholic Championships followed by the Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 2.
“The Invitational should be our toughest regular-season meet of the year,” spoke Coach Savage, “Our schedule this season is much more challenging than it was a year ago. It is our goal to break into the top-10 at the conference meet, and having a tougher schedule is just one step we can take to reach that accomplishment.”
The final regular-season meet is slated for Oct. 10, when the Blue Demons travel to Kenosha, Wis. for the Lucian Rosa Invitational hosted by UW-Parkside. The meet is held at the Dannehl Cross Country Course, which is also the site of the 2009 BIG EAST Championships hosted by Marquette. Following a two week break from competition, the team returns to Kenosha on Oct. 31 for the league championship. Last season the women finished in 13th place, while the men finished in the 11th spot.
Key returners for DePaul women’s cross country team include Mary Cate Quiett and Terah Cheatham. Quiett led the team with both the top 5K and 6K times last season, and either she or Cheatham were the top Blue Demon finishers during every race.
Matthew Graham and Jakub Kolacz return to the men’s team as the top runners. Graham logged the top-10K time of 25:19 and was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after placing second overall at the Fordham Fiasco. Kolacz was the top DePaul finisher during the entire post season.
The NCAA Regional Championship happens on Nov. 14 at Missouri State. The Blue Demons are slated to run against the Midwest’s elite on a 6K women’s course and a 10K men’s course. The top two teams from each of the nine NCAA Regional meets earn an automatic berth to the Nov. 23 NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. Thirteen additional teams are selected for at-large qualifications.