Badgers Prepare for Big Ten Championship
October 14, 2003 | Men's Cross Country
This weekend's upcoming Jim Drews Invitational marks the last meet to prepare the Badgers for the Big Ten Championship in East Lansing, Mich., on Nov. 2. UW is heading into the 8,000-meter competition at Maple Grove Golf Course after finishing second at last year's meet, behind Minnesota. Among the 16 teams competing are Augsburg College, Carleton, Caroll College, Central College, Grinnell, Hamline, Illinois Wesleyan, Macalester, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska Wesleyan, St. Olaf, St. Thomas, Sioux Falls, Wartburg College, Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Wisconsin-La Crosse.
With less than three weeks left until the Big Ten Championships, the men's cross country team is on pace for a fifth consecutive Big Ten Title. Wisconsin has consistently held it's No.2 position in the Mondo Men's Cross Country Poll during the 2003 season, behind No. 1 ranked Stanford. In addition, UW has brought home two first place finishes this season in both the four-team Hawkeye Invitational with 39 points and in the 30-team Roy Griak Invitational with 89 points.
Four Badgers that earned All-Big Ten honors last year return for the upcoming season. Senior Matt Tegenkamp won the individual championship and was named Big Ten Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year while sophomores Bobby Lockhart, Simon Bairu and junior Tim Keller earned second-team honors.
Check out the Badger's final results for this Saturday's 10:30 a.m. meet at the Jim Drew's Invitation in LaCrosse, Wis. on uwbadgers.com.
