The University of Sioux Falls cross country team will travel to Falcon Heights, Minn. Saturday, October 20 to compete in the 2012 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships at Les Bolstad Golf Course on the University of Minnesota campus.
The NSIC Championship represents the first of three post-season races for the Cougars.
Beginning at 11 a.m., the men's 8K race will feature a field of 13 teams, including two USTFCCCA top 20 squads in Augustana (5) and Minnesota State (16). The women's 5k competition will consist of 14 teams, five of which also rank in the top 30 of the latest USTFCCCA poll including No. 1 Augustana, and is set for noon.
Head USF cross country coach Grant Watley expressed the team's excitement for the race. "This is what we have worked for since June, the post-season. The time has come, and from here on out every race is a big race for us."
USF returns to competition following an impressive performance across the board at the Briar Cliff Invitational, which took place October 6. Led by Billy and Bobby Brockmueller, the men's unit claimed their first team win in over a decade, while the women's group had three runners finish in the top 20, including a third place finish by Shelbie Pettie.
With the exception of the Augustana Twilight, every race the men have competed in this season has been an 8K, however the 6K race poses a distance a little longer than what the women are accustom to running. Of their previous three races only one was a 6K, but coach Watley says the 1K increase is not a concern.
"At this point in the year we are well conditioned, so that extra "K" is not a concern", said Watley. He added, "We have backed off our training quite a bit, and our team is feeling fresh and ready to run some fast times this weekend. "
Running in top five spots for the men is Billy Brockmueller, Bobby Brockmueller, Jared Noyes, Matt Horan and Ethan Tabbert, who each ran season-low times at Briar Cliff. USF will also be represented by six individual scorers.
On the women's side Shelbie Pettie, Sierra Harder, Becca Steadman, Tessa Stoltenberg and Lindsey Mettler will be competing for the Cougars. Combined this group has a 6K average of 24:21 this season.
In addition to a conference championship, all-conference honors are up for grabs Saturday. Those who finish in the top 10 of their race will earn first team all-conference honors. Second team all-conference honors will go to those finishing 10-20 overall.
