Cross Country Set To Host MVC Championships, Oct. 29

Saturday, October 29

Cedar Falls, Iowa

10:30 a.m.

University of Northern Iowa

MVC Championships

Cross Country Set To Host MVC Championships, Oct. 29

10/26/2016 3:57:00 PM | Cross Country

Maps/Directions | 2016 Women's Best List | 2016 Men's Best List | Championship Central | MVC Release | Course Map

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The University of Northern Iowa cross country program will host the Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The women's 5,000 meter race will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the men's 8K to start at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The last time UNI hosted the MVC Cross Country Championships was in 2007 with UNI landing three student-athletes on the all-conference teams. In the 2016 pre-championship poll, the UNI women were picked to finish tied for second overall and the men sixth.

The Panther women enter the meet ranked No. 9 in the USTFCCCA Midwest Region poll, most recently placing third overall at the Bradley Classic out of 31 teams. Junior Ashley Norem and senior Kelsey Kirchoff both rank in the top-10 in the Valley this season in the 5K, with four Panthers ranking in the 6K with Hannah Truniger leading the league.

Kirchoff returns to the championship meet as UNI's highest finisher from a year ago, placing 11^th overall while also earning a spot on the Scholar-Athlete team. Norem came across the line second for UNI in 2015, placing 33^rd overall.

The UNI women have finished in the top-five as a team in every meet this season, earning their top-10 Midwest rank. Norem, Kirchoff and true freshman Truniger have consistently been UNI's top-three finishers in 2016.

On the men's side, the Panthers will see a surge of youth on the course mixed in with some veteran experience from Bailey Wetherell and Zach Buchheit. Wetherell has been UNI's top finisher in every meet this season, claiming four top-50 finishes, including a top-10 finish at the Badger Classic.

Wetherall notched a 35^th place finish at the conference championships in 2015, and has continued to improve his 8K time through 2016, running a personal-best time of 25:17.70. True freshman CJ May has had a strong season through the first four meets of the season along with sophomore Jacob Day who earned a top-10 finish at the Badger Classic alongside Wetherell.

Zach Buchheit, who finished in ninth overall at the MVC Championships in 2014, returns to the course this Saturday along with senior Dylan Eigenberger, who finished in claimed a top-50 finish at the championships last season.

The award ceremony for both the men's and women's races will take place following the completion of the men's race. Results will be posted to www.UNIPanthers.com after the meet along with a full recap. For live results on race day, follow @UNITrackFieldXC on Twitter.