University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Louisville Classic
Cross Country Heads To Nation's Largest Meet
September 28, 2017 | Cross Country
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of North Carolina cross country teams will race in what is being tabbed as the nation's largest cross country meet when they head to Kentucky for the 16th annual Louisville Cross Country Classic Saturday. The event brings together over 3,000 runners representing 142 colleges and universities from 30 states and Canada.Â
The Tar Heels will compete in the men's 8k gold race at 9:30 a.m. and the women's 5k gold race at 10:15 a.m held at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. This will be the first of a potential three times Carolina will see this course in 2017, as it is also the site of the 2017 ACC Championships and 2017 NCAA Division I Championships.Â
"There are a couple course tweaks that we want to check out, but mainly we're just looking for key spots, key moments on the course," head coach Mark VanAlstyne said. "We just want to get a feel for it so we have a good idea of how we need to run it and also what we need to prepare for in practice in the run up to ACCs and NCAAs."
The men's field is packed with some of the best squads in the country, including the 2016 NCAA champion North Arizona Lumberjacks who are currently ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division I National Coaches Poll. Other ranked teams in the field include perennial national-power No. 7 Wisconsin, No. 12 Furman, No. 19 Middle Tennessee State, No. 24 Virginia Tech, No. 26 Boise State and No. 27 Illinois. The women's field looks to be highly competitive as well with ranked squads of No. 15 Boise State, No. 16 Wisconsin, No. 19 Minnesota and No. 29 Vanderbilt competing.
After facing strong local competition in the first two meets, both Tar Heel teams have their stiffest challenge of the season ahead. The young men's squad will be particularly tested in its ability to maintain a pack strategy utilized in Elon and Boone.
"It's more challenging to develop that pack cohesiveness, but it certainly is the centerpiece of our plan," VanAlstyne said. "You've shown that you can hurt. You've shown that you can persevere. We just have to be together."
The women welcome back Caroline Alcorta, who will be racing in her first meet since mid-September of last season. She hopes to challenge for one of the meet's top spots, with the rest of Carolina's top five not far behind.Â
"This being her first race by design, it's always hard to know exactly how your body will react to the heat of competition," VanAlstyne said. "But she's ready. I want her to put herself in position and if the opportunity arises to do something special, she'll be there."
Jeremy Brown, Logan Carroll, Jake McEneaney, Brodie Modini, Mark Myers, Luke Peterson, Mitch Resor, Matt Thornton and Brandon Tubby will toe the line for the men Saturday. In addition to Alcorta, Emma Astrike-Davis, Mady Clahane, Erin Edmundson, Casey Greenwalt, Morgan Ilse, Lindsey Lanier, Blair Ramsey and Ashley Smith will hit the course shortly after for the women.
This is the first time Carolina will bring teams to Louisville since the 2014 NCAA Southeast Regional where the men and women both claimed third.Â
HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow @UNCTrack_Field on Twitter to receive information as results are made available. A meet recap and results will be posted on GoHeels.com following the completion of competition.Â
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Players Mentioned
