Issued: October 29, 2003

CROSS COUNTRY SET FOR WIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire men's and women's cross country teams will travel to Colfax this Saturday to participate in the 2003 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships hosted by UW-Stout.

The Eau Claire women's cross country heads into the event taking first or second place in three of their meets this season. Last year at the WIAC Championships, the Blugolds took fourth place out of nine teams as UW-La Crosse took first followed by UW-Stevens Point, UW-Oshkosh, and the Blugolds. At the event the top seven performers earn All-Conference first team honors, the second seven are named to the second team, and the top 20 are recognized. Expected to battle for these positions on the Blugold women's roster are Melissa Wright (Sr.-Appleton/Kimberly) and Sarah Kasabian (Sr.-East Peoria, IL). Wright has finished first or second on the Blugold roster in all five events she has participated in this season and finished sixth out of 280 runners at the St. Olaf Invitational. Kasabian has been equally impressive, finishing first on the Blugold roster twice, second once, and third once. She took second out of 143 runners at the Midwest Long and Short Course Challenge in the 3k event.

Last season the men's cross country team took sixth place out of nine teams at the WIAC Championships. UW-Oshkosh won the event and went on to become national champions later in the season.

Adam Condit (Jr.-La Crosse/Central), Matt Goertz (Sr.-Manitowoc/Lincoln), and Ben Schmiege (Jr.-Madison/Lakeside Lutheran) will look to continue their strong season performances at the event. Condit has taken first for Eau Claire in the last two events where team scores were kept while Goertz has also claimed two first place finishes on the Blugold roster this season. Schmiege has taken second twice, third once, and fourth once in his four events this season.

The women's 6k championship race is set for 11:00 a.m. while the men will race the 8k at noon.