UW men named preseason favorite in Great Lakes Region
August 30, 2010 | Men's Cross Country
Aug. 30, 2010
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin men’s and women’s cross country teams received a vote of confidence heading into the season’s first meet this Friday. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Associations (USTFCCCA) released its preseason rankings Monday and had the Badgers near the top for both sports.
The Wisconsin men’s team takes its customary spot at the top of the Great Lakes Regional rankings, sliding in it at number one. The Badgers have won eight consecutive regional titles and will once again start the 2010 season as the favorite to repeat.
The UW men’s team is followed in the rankings by Big Ten rivals Michigan State (2), Indiana (4), Ohio State (5) and Michigan (7). Butler (3), Indiana State (6), Eastern Michigan (8), Notre Dame (9) and Kent State (10) round out the top 10.
The Badgers return their top three finishers from last season’s regional meet, including senior Landon Peacock who finished second overall a year ago. Sophomore Mohammed Ahmed placed third in the 2009 meet and sophomore Maverick Darling took 15th, with all three earning All-Region honors.
The Wisconsin women will begin the 2010 season ranked third in the USTFCCCA preseason poll. The Badgers finished 12th in the 2009 meet, but return all seven runners from last year’s Great Lakes Regional, including All-Region runners Caitlin Comfort and Kiah Ehrke.
Defending regional champion Notre Dame ranks first the 2010 preseason poll followed by four Big Ten teams: Michigan State (2), Wisconsin (3), Michigan (4) and Indiana (5). Fellow Big Ten squads Ohio State (7), Purdue (9) also cracked the top 10.
Both teams will see their first action of the year Friday as they host the Badger Classic at the Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course. The meet is free to the public and scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
