Oct. 24, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - Coming off of an impressive performance at the Bradley Classic, the 2007 men's and women's cross country teams will look to carry that momentum into Lubbock, Texas at Rawls Golf Course this weekend for the 12th annual Big 12 Conference Cross Country Championships. This marks the first time in Big 12 Conference history that the championships will be held in Lubbock. The top 15 runners on both the men's and women's side will earn all conference honors, with the team champions earning automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. The race will be held Fri., Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. (CT) starting with the women's 6000-meter race.
The Tigers bring in a confident team after taking the Bradley Classic title on both the men's and women's side. Sophomore Dan Hedgecock (St. Louis, Mo.) and junior Garett Jeffries (Clarkson Valley, Mo.) lead the way for an experienced bunch of Tiger runners in the men's 8000-meter run. Jeffries and Hedgecock finished 24th and 25th, respectively, at last years muddy and rainy meet in Lawrence, Kansas. The Tigers will be counting on both Hedgecock and Jeffries, but will need a similar performance from Tim Cornell (Columbia, Mo.), who is coming off the best race of his career at Bradley in which he finished third overall. Cornell finished 41st overall last season.
The women also have high expectations heading into the conference meet after a dominating performance at Bradley. Senior Kate Greer (Marsahlltown, Iowa) will look to build on her performance at the Big 12 Championships from a year ago. Greer ran one of the best races of her career, finishing 17th overall, just two spots away from All-Big 12 honors in the 6K race. Kinsey Farren (Dallas, Texas) has high expectations for her first Big 12 race as she has been one of the Tigers top runners all season long. The Tigers will rely on Greer and Farren to be in the front of the pack on Friday, but will need runners Angela Potrykus (Evergreen, Colo.) and Kasey Kimball (Eureka, Mo.) to continue their breakout seasons. Junior Ellen Ries (Ryan, Iowa), who spent most of the season recovering from an injury, is expected to race on Friday, giving the Tigers another top-notch competitor.
Colorado has dominated the Big 12 Cross Country circuit over the past 11 seasons winning all 11 conference titles on the men's side, and 10 out of 11 for the women. Four Big 12 teams are ranked in the top-30 nationally, led by the Buffs. Also ranked are Oklahoma State, Texas and Iowa State on the men's side. The women feature three top-30 teams, highlighted by 14-ranked Texas Tech. Colorado comes in ranked 15th, while Nebraska rounds out the poll at 30. The Tiger men and women come in ranked sixth and eighth in the Midwest Regional poll.
For results and updates on the 2007 Big 12 Cross Country Championships stay tuned to www.mutigers.com for official scoring and team results.
Big 12 Conference Championship Notes:
Last season the Tiger men and women finished sixth and seventh, respectively. The Tigers highest finishes in Big 12 Conference history are a second place finish in 1996, 2002 and 2004 on the women's side, pacing behind Big 12 powerhouse Colorado all three seasons. The men placed third in three consecutive seasons from 1998-2000. Mizzou has one individual Big 12 Conference Champion, Erin Windler, who led the Tiger women to a third-place finish in 1997.
Texas Tech hosts Big 12 Championships for first time in history:
When the Big 12 cross country teams make their way to the starting line at Rawls Golf Course, it will mark the first time in school history that Texas Tech will host the Big 12 Conference Championships. It will also mark the 12th school the 12 year history of the conference to hold the championships. The Tigers hosted the Big 12 Championships in 2002 at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. In that season the women earned a second place finish, while the men came in ninth.
Women's Head Coach Rebecca Wilmes has success at Big 12's as a coach and a runner:
Women's Head Coach Rebecca Wilmes is well known for her team's success in various seasons. The two-time Midwest Regional Coach of the Year has led the Tigers to plenty of success at the Big 12 Championships, placing them in the top three in seven of her nine seasons. But few know that she has had her own personal success at the tournament as the Missouri graduate placed eighth overall in the first ever Big 12 Championships in 1996 at Iowa State. That mark ties Wilmes for the eighth best finish in Tiger history at the event. Wilmes would go on to win the Midwest Regional that year.
National Rankings are loaded with Big 12 Teams:
The Big 12 is once again a powerhouse conference this season as four teams in the Big 12 are ranked in the top 30 nationally on the men's side, while the women boast three teams in the top 30. Colorado leads the way for the men ranked fifth overall. Texas comes in ranked 14th overall while Midwest Regional No. 1, Oklahoma State enters the race ranked 18th. Iowa State, the final Big 12 team in the rankings, comes in ranked 24th.
The women are led by host school Texas Tech and defending champions Sally Kipyeho. Tech enters the event one spot ahead of Colorado at 14th. Nebraska rounds out the women's national poll at 30th, nine points ahead of its closest challenger, Kentucky. The Tigers enter Big 12's with a sixth place ranking on the men's side and an eighth place ranking on the women's side in the Midwest Regional Polls. Only three teams from the Big 12 rank ahead of Missouri women in the Midwest region, while only Iowa State and Oklahoma State rank ahead of Mizzou for the men.
Regular Season Notes
Getting off to a fast start:
The Tiger women have opened the 2007 season in quick fashion claiming titles at both the Missouri Cross Country Challenge and the Vanderbilt Commodore Classic. The Tigers finished with 50 points, five ahead of Georgia Tech at the Commodore Classic, and 24 points at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge to claim the title.
The men have been equally as impressive with a title at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge and a third place finish at Vanderbilt. In the Missouri Cross Country Challenge, every Tiger runner finished the 8K race before any runner from its competitor Murray State.
Brammeier Earns Big 12 Runner of the Week:
In his first race with the Tigers, RS freshman Ben Brammeier placed ninth at the Vanderbilt Commodore Classic with a time of 25:52.69. His time and place helped him win Big 12 Runner of the Week for the week of Sept. 18. Brammeier is only the eighth male freshman ever to win the award and the first Tiger freshman male to do so. The last time any freshman from Mizzou took home the award was Oct. 1, 2002, when All-American Amanda Bales took home the award.
Impact Freshman and Newcomers:
Despite quality upperclassmen on the team, the 2007 freshman class has already made their impact felt for the Tigers. In her first collegiate race, Kinsey Farren was the first Tiger to cross the finish line at the Vanderbilt Commodore Classic, finishing in fifth place in the 5K race at 18:24.91. Jessica Armstrong has also made her presence felt by placing second at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge.
The freshman men have had their fair share of success as well. Despite only running the freshman class in the Commodore Classic, the Tigers managed to earn third place, behind Belmont and Georgia Tech. The team also saw four of its freshman, led by Brammeier and Phillip King, finish in the top 17, showing the quality of young talent.
Among the Tiger freshman on the men, three of them occupied the top three spots at last seasons Class 4-A MSHSAA State Championships, lead by Kyle Rood, Dan Quigley and Phillip King, who finished first, second and third respectively.
Emily Baker Sets New 5K Personal Best:
Sophomore Emily Baker looks primed to make an impact for the Tigers this season. In the Commodore Classic, Baker ran the best race of her young career, finishing in 10th place at 18:38.61, both career bests. Baker steadily improved during her freshman campaign and earned a spot in the Big 12 Championships and the Midwest Regional and it seems as if she is carrying that momentum into this season.
Breakout Performances for Several Tigers:
A handful of veteran Tigers have had breakout performances this season, starting with Billy Bell. Bell, a senior, earned his first ever overall title when he claimed the Missouri Cross Country Challenge title with a time of 26:29.74.
Several women runners have also seen their stock rise this season. Junior Angela Potrykus, just like Bell, earned her first overall title at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge. The Commodore Classic also brought out the best in Tiger runners. Seniors Kasey Kimball, Carolyn Rauen, Angela Potrykus and Kate Greer all finished in the top-20. Kimball's 12th place finish was the second highest of her career, not including the Missouri Cross Country Challenge, while Rauen's 16th place finish at 18:49.11 was nearly a personal best.
Steady Upperclassmen lead the way:
The Tigers are loaded with quality runners on both the men's and the women's side. Leading the way for the women is senior Kate Greer. Greer finished as Missouri's first or second finisher in every race last season and earned All-Midwest Region honors and missed All-Big 12 honors by two spots. Greer is fully healthy and ready to continue that trend for the Tiger this season.
The Tiger men have three runners to keep an eye on this season. Sophomore Dan Hedgecock, an All-Region performer from a season ago leads the way, while juniors Garrett Jeffries and Tim Cornell are not far behind. Jeffries also earned All-Region honors as he finished 20th. With the quality talent on both sides, look for the Tigers to keep the momentum going throughout the season.
Freshmen Show Signs of Bright Future at the Roy Griak Invitational:
After what has already been a great start to their respective careers, the Tiger freshmen had another strong showing at the Roy Griak Invitational. Freshman Kinsey Farren was the second Tiger finisher in the race, and crossed the finish line in 22:39 in her first collegiate 6K race. Her time earned her a 51st overall finish out of 257 runners. Michigan native Jessica Armstrong, the runner up at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge finished in the top half as well, as she was the fifth Tiger finisher with a time of 23:28.
The men had a similar performance at the Griak as well. Three of the Tigers top-seven finishers were freshmen, starting with Kyle Rood, who finished fifth for Mizzou. Rood ran the 8K course in 26:01, good enough for 76th place. Larry Paul, a redshirt freshman ran a personal best time in the 8K race as he was sixth Tiger finisher and Dan Quigley rounded out the top-seven.
Bell, Kimball Stepping up in senior season:
Senior Billy Bell is off to the best season of his career. Bell, who was the Tigers sixth or seventh finisher in every race last season, is routinely finishing in the top-three for the Tigers. In his two races this season, Bell earned the title at the Missouri Cross Country Challenge and was the third Tiger finisher at the Griak.
Similar to Bell, senior Kasey Kimball is also running some of the best races of her career. Kimball ran the second best race of her career at Vanderbilt, finishing just :14 off of a career best with a time of 18:40.97, placing her 12th overall. Kimball also managed to finish as the Tigers fourth finisher at the Griak as she registered a 23:13 time in the 6K race.
Potrykus ties Personal Record at Griak:
Junior Angela Potrykus has been another pleasant surprise for the coaching staff this season. Potrykus won the Missouri Cross Country Challenge, and was the first Tiger finisher at the Griak. Potrykus notched a time of 22:35.0, tying a mark that she set during her sophomore season last year at the Pre-Nationals meet in Terre Haute, Ind. The time was good enough to place her in 47th overall.
Tigers Sweep Bradley Classic:
Serving as the final tune-up before the post season races, the Tigers went into the Bradley Classic with high expectations, expectations that they would deliver upon. 17 Runners set personal records as the men and women won the team titles. Sophomore Dan Hedgecock won the race by six seconds with a personal best time of 24:35. Kinsey Farren finished sixth for the women in the 6K race, clocking in at a personal record 21:22. Other Tigers to set personal records include, Tim Cornell, Phillip King, Ben Brammeier, Brian Graybill, Rick Scheff, Kasey Kimball, Angela Potrykus, Emily Baker, Carolyn Rauen, Ellen Ries and Trisa Nickoley.
Tiger Men and Women each move two spots in Regional Polls after impressive performance:
On the heels of an impressive performance at the Bradley Classic, both the Tiger men and women moved up two spots in the regional polls. The women went from 10th to eighth, while the men went from eighth to sixth.