Sept. 28, 2006

CROSS COUNTRY: Willamette Invitational Next for Lutes

THIS WEEK: PLU at Willamette Invitational in Salem, Ore., 9:30 a.m.

WHAT’S ON TAP: The Pacific Lutheran cross country team heads to Salem on Saturday for the Willamette Invitational. The Lutes will compete in the Men’s 8K Cardinal Race and the Women’s 5K Cardinal Race which will start at 9:30 a.m. and 10:10 a.m., respectively. Each race will feature teams from NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA. Every Northwest Conference team will be racing. Willamette’s men are currently ranked No. 15 in the nation and the women No. 13 in the nation.

MORE ON THE WILLAMETTE INVITATINOAL: The Lutes come into this race after a bye last week. Their last performance came at the University of Washington’s Sundodger Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 16. Willamette and Sundodger are both very fast courses with exceptional competition, so look for the Lutes to run fast times and compete well. After the bye last weekend the Lutes will be ready to compete with the more than 1,200 runners that are expected to be running at Willamette.

LUTE WOMEN: The women’s team is looking to improve off a strong showing from Sundodger. Sophomore Lexie Miller led the women’s team at Sundodger, but after two weeks of hard practice it is clear that she will be challenged for her top spot. Junior Lauren McDonald, sophomore Michele Hegg and freshman Katie Coate are all on Miller’s heels and any one of them could lead the team on Saturday.

LUTE MEN: On the men’s side the return of sophomore Ben Hollander from an ankle injury should provide a much needed front runner for the men’s team. Junior Kenneth Chilcoat , who finished first on the team at Sundodger, will compete with Hollander for the top spot. Freshman Matt Beal and sophomore Mike Jorgenson will both look to set personal records on the fast Willamette course. Transfer Mark Manske is hoping to improve after a rather disappointing finish in his first college race at Sundodger. Manske will try to help provide the important fifth-man spot on the squad in order to place well as a team.

PLU TO HOST INVITATIONAL: The Lute harriers’ next competition will be the Pacific Lutheran Invitational on October 7. This home race is held on the campus golf course. There will be six out of the nine conference schools at the race, so it will be a good preview for the conference championship, which is also being held on the golf course on October 28.

- PLU -