COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Cross Country is approaching the last of its 2015 campaign, as the teams prepare for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship meet in Lawrence, Kan., on Friday (November 13). Set on one of the premier cross country courses in the country in Rim Rock Farms, Friday's competition serves as the qualification round into the NCAA Championship meet on November 21, with the top two teams, and the top two individual finishers not on those teams, earning spots in the national competition. The women's 6k competition will take to the line at noon, with the men competing at 1 p.m. with their first 10k race of the season.
A LOOK BACK...
The Tigers return one NCAA Championships qualifier from 2014 in sophomore Karissa Schweizer, who became the second consecutive freshman to qualify for the national championship meet after she placed seventh overall at the Midwest Championship. Schweizer has continued to improve throughout her sophomore season, including earning a Second Team All-SEC honor two weeks ago after she placed 14th at the conference championship meet in College Station, Tx., in 20:23.10, her fastest time yet on a 6k course.
THE TIGER WOMEN
Nine women will don the black and gold for the Regional Championship meet, including junior Nicole Mello, who was the second Tiger to cross the line at the SEC Championships two weeks ago, running a personal best time of 21:18.20. Mello, who has been a scoring presence for the team since her freshman year, has finished in the top five for the team in her last three meets.
Fellow-junior Teylar Adelsberger will also take to the line on Friday, continuing her break-out season which has been highlighted by PR performances in both the 5k and 6k races as well as scored finishes in each of her five meets.
Also lacing up the spikes will be the lone senior on the women's team, Sam Garrett, who will face her third Midwest Regional Championship meet of her career.
Rounding out the women's roster is a group of underclassmen, including sophomore Jamie Kempfer, who has also been a scorer for the Tigers this season. A group of four true freshmen will get their first Regional Championship experience, starting with Kelli Jackson, who has tallied points for the Tigers throughout the season, including at the SEC Championships where she was the fourth black and gold jersey across the line. Joining her will be classmates Elly DeTurris, Emmie Hahn, and Hannah Thomas.
THE TIGER MEN
Mizzou has had an exciting group leading the way for the men's team, with four Tigers having led the charge for the black and gold throughout the season. Of those three, junior Jordan Cook has been the most consistent presence in the lead pack, having taken the helm for the squad in three of his five meets this season. Also crossing first for the team was junior Will Crocker at the Bradley Classic, junior Dan Roe at the Notre Dame Invitational, and sophomore Sheldon Keence, who guided the team to a sixth-place finish at the SEC Championships two weeks ago with a 22nd individual placing.
Sophomores Marc Dubrick and Evan Schulte have also been consistent presences in the top five for the Tigers, with Dubrick having placed second on the team in four of his five meets, and Schulte placing in the top three in all but one meet this season.
Rounding out the Tigers' roster is a trio of juniors in Drew White, Ollie Lockley, and Luca Russo. Both Lockley and Russo are both newcomers to the black and gold, and will get their first taste of NCAA Regional competition on Friday.
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