No. 16 Wisconsin ready for home-meet challenge

Friday, October 14

Madison, WI

11 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour

No. 16 Wisconsin ready for home-meet challenge

October 12, 2016 | Men's Cross Country

Badgers host 2016 Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational on Friday

MADISON, Wis. – After almost a month off from competition, the No. 16 Wisconsin men's cross country team hosts the prestigious Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour on Friday. Named the top meet of 2016 by FloTrack, 19 of the top 30 teams in the country will line up at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course to race for the title.

There will be four races on Friday. The women's six-kilometer "B" race begins at 11 a.m. and will be followed by the men's eight-kilometer "B" race at 11:40 a.m. The championship races will conclude the meet, beginning with the women's six-kilometer at 12:30 p.m. and ending with the men's eight-kilometer at 1:20 p.m.

Senior Malachy Schrobilgen and junior Morgan McDonald, ranked sixth and seventh respectively in the Saucony Flo50 Men's Individual XC Rankings, look to lead the Badgers against the top teams in the nation.

The duo started the season by finishing first and second at the Oz Memorial Invitational, leading the men to their first team victory of the year. McDonald crossed the line first to claim the individual title. For his efforts, he was named Big Ten Runner of the Week Sept. 14.

"We just need (Schrobilgen and McDonald) to be our low stakes," Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said, "and obviously if they get in the top 10 that's going to help, be huge towards the team score."

Also finishing in the top ten at the Oz Memorial was senior Joe Hardy and redshirt freshmen Olin Hacker and Zack Snider. Hacker and Snider will be racing in their first home meet after redshirting the 2015 season. They appear to be primed and ready to be key scorers for the Badgers.

At the Badger Classic, Wisconsin had four runners cross the line simultaneously to lead the team to another title.

Senior Russell Sandvold took the victory, followed by redshirt sophomores Tyson Miehe, Zack Benning, and redshirt freshman Benjamin Eidenschink.

The team will be racing for the first time in three weeks due to dropping out of the Notre Dame Invitational.

"We're fresh, we didn't run two weeks ago in Notre Dame," Byrne explained. "It wasn't the right thing to do in terms of the team, we had some kids that were ill, but now they are healthy so they're looking to get after it on Friday. The whole entire team is because they're fresh and they didn't have a race two weeks ago in their legs."

With the prolonged rest, the runners, coaches and fans alike are excited to see how the men match up against the best teams and individuals in the country.

"On the men's side, we are healthy and excited to run at home," Byrne said. "The guys always love running at home on the Zimmer Course, in front of our fans and in front of their family. I can't over-emphasize that, I talk about it a lot, it is a great field. When you throw in those real hot individuals, we are expecting a great race.

"It's going to be a challenge. But again, it's all about the team."