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WVU Set for Penn State Invite
September 10, 2015 10:08 AM | Cross Country
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (September 10, 2015) – West Virginia University’s cross country team will travel to University Park, Pennsylvania, to compete at the PSU Spiked Shoe Invitational this Friday, Sept. 11, starting with the women’s 6k at 5:30 p.m.
“It's fun to hit the road for the first test against some great programs. Every team in the country is working through their lineups,” said coach Sean Cleary. “They will begin to establish who they are and what they have to do in order to reach their full potential by the end of the season.”
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recently unveiled the 2015 preseason national rankings, with WVU sitting at No. 10. Big 12 foe Iowa State takes the No. 1 spot in the poll. Penn State is ranked at No. 23.
The Mountaineers opened their season at home with the WVU Alumni Open on Sept. 1. A total of 22 runners competed on the 4k trail, seven of whom were alumni. Runners were paired in teams of two, making 11 teams. One teammate ran the first leg of the race, while the second made the return trip. Runners recorded both a team time and an individual time.
Junior Brianna Kerekes and sophomore Millie Paladino tied for first with an individual time of 11:10, while five teams tied for first with a combined time of 22:54.
“We will be running a few young ladies that we expect to be integral parts of our lineup as the season progresses,” said Cleary.
It marks WVU’s fourth straight season competing in the PSU Spiked Invitational. In 2014, the Mountaineers placed fifth at the event, while host Penn State finished first. Brynn Harshbarger was the first Mountaineer to cross the line, finishing sixth overall, with a time of 21:25.
“We have the opportunity to compete on a course that will host the NCAA regional in the future. Therefore, this weekend brings multiple chances for us to build on our future,” said Cleary. “I’m excited to see how we respond to some very strong regional and national level competition.”
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