Photo by: David Stluka
Badgers to welcome top men’s teams in the country to Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational
October 11, 2017 | Men's Cross Country
Twenty ranked men’s teams will compete on Friday in Madison
MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin cross country team will host the ninth-annual Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational Presented by Under Armour at the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course on Friday.
Named the top regular-season meet of 2017 by FloTrack, the meet features 20 of the top-30 teams in the country according to the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll. In addition, 15 of the top-25 teams in the country in FloTrack's National Rankings will be in attendance.
"The course obviously has a lot to do with it, a great spectator course and it's in great shape," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said about the success of the meet. "Our staff out there at U Ridge do an incredible job with the course. And I think the fact that it's a great spectator's course, you can see it, traditionally in a lot of cross country courses you see them for probably one-eighth of the entire race, but on our course you can have the opportunity to see the entire race, and I think that excites the fans.
"Obviously when you get commitments very early from some of the big teams, teams that perennial powerhouses in cross country, that kind of excites other schools. In fact, we have to turn down other schools every year."
Northern Arizona won the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invite last year with a score of 78. The reigning NCAA champions are ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll and feature three runners that are ranked by FloTrack. Redshirt Senior Matthew Baxter finished eighth overall at last year's meet, and recently won the Greater Louisville Classic. Baxter is currently ranked fifth on FloTrack's list of top individual men's runners, while his teammates Tyler Day and Andy Trouard are No. 13 and No. 21, respectively.
Justyn Knight of Syracuse won the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational last year with an 8K time of 23:51.3. The two-time USTFCCCA All-American senior from Ontario helped his team to a fourth place overall finish with a score of 167 at last year's meet, and is currently ranked first on FloTrack's list of top individual men's runners. Last year Knight was runner-up at the NCAA cross country championships and the Canadian standout competed at the IAAF World Championships this past summer with former Badger Mohammed Ahmed and UW senior Morgan McDonald.
The Stanford men's cross country program, currently ranked second by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll, will also compete at this year's Nuttycombe Invitational. The Cardinal features junior Grant Fisher, who finished fourth overall at last year's invitational, guiding his team to a second-place overall finish. Last year's NCAA outdoor 5K champion, Fisher is currently ranked second individually by FloTrack.
Also back this year is UW's McDonald, who finished third overall last year at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. A four-time Big Ten champion last year, McDonald won the Big Ten cross country title, was second at the NCAA Great Lakes Region and placed seventh at the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships to help UW to an eighth-place finish. McDonald enjoyed a great summer, breaking the four-minute barrier in the mile twice before running 13:15.83 in the 5000 meters to qualify for the 2017 IAAF World Championships.
Other individuals to watch include Colorado State's Jerrell Mock, who won the Roy Griak Invitational last month. The senior is ranked 12th in FloTrack's individual rankings. Iona senior Gilbert Kirui is ranked 15th individually by FloTrack, and finished 12th overall at last year's Nuttycombe Invite, helping his team to a fifth-place overall finish.
The meet will kick off with the "B" races this year. The women's six-kilometer race begins at 11 a.m. and will be followed by the men's eight-kilometer at 11:40 a.m. The championship races will conclude the meet, beginning with the women's six-kilometer at 12:20 p.m. The final race of the day is the men's eight-kilometer championship race at 1 p.m.
The meet will be streamed live by FloTrack and admission is free for the invite. Parking information is available here.
Named the top regular-season meet of 2017 by FloTrack, the meet features 20 of the top-30 teams in the country according to the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll. In addition, 15 of the top-25 teams in the country in FloTrack's National Rankings will be in attendance.
"The course obviously has a lot to do with it, a great spectator course and it's in great shape," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said about the success of the meet. "Our staff out there at U Ridge do an incredible job with the course. And I think the fact that it's a great spectator's course, you can see it, traditionally in a lot of cross country courses you see them for probably one-eighth of the entire race, but on our course you can have the opportunity to see the entire race, and I think that excites the fans.
"Obviously when you get commitments very early from some of the big teams, teams that perennial powerhouses in cross country, that kind of excites other schools. In fact, we have to turn down other schools every year."
Northern Arizona won the Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invite last year with a score of 78. The reigning NCAA champions are ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll and feature three runners that are ranked by FloTrack. Redshirt Senior Matthew Baxter finished eighth overall at last year's meet, and recently won the Greater Louisville Classic. Baxter is currently ranked fifth on FloTrack's list of top individual men's runners, while his teammates Tyler Day and Andy Trouard are No. 13 and No. 21, respectively.
Justyn Knight of Syracuse won the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational last year with an 8K time of 23:51.3. The two-time USTFCCCA All-American senior from Ontario helped his team to a fourth place overall finish with a score of 167 at last year's meet, and is currently ranked first on FloTrack's list of top individual men's runners. Last year Knight was runner-up at the NCAA cross country championships and the Canadian standout competed at the IAAF World Championships this past summer with former Badger Mohammed Ahmed and UW senior Morgan McDonald.
The Stanford men's cross country program, currently ranked second by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Coaches' Poll, will also compete at this year's Nuttycombe Invitational. The Cardinal features junior Grant Fisher, who finished fourth overall at last year's invitational, guiding his team to a second-place overall finish. Last year's NCAA outdoor 5K champion, Fisher is currently ranked second individually by FloTrack.
Also back this year is UW's McDonald, who finished third overall last year at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational. A four-time Big Ten champion last year, McDonald won the Big Ten cross country title, was second at the NCAA Great Lakes Region and placed seventh at the 2016 NCAA Cross Country Championships to help UW to an eighth-place finish. McDonald enjoyed a great summer, breaking the four-minute barrier in the mile twice before running 13:15.83 in the 5000 meters to qualify for the 2017 IAAF World Championships.
Other individuals to watch include Colorado State's Jerrell Mock, who won the Roy Griak Invitational last month. The senior is ranked 12th in FloTrack's individual rankings. Iona senior Gilbert Kirui is ranked 15th individually by FloTrack, and finished 12th overall at last year's Nuttycombe Invite, helping his team to a fifth-place overall finish.
The meet will kick off with the "B" races this year. The women's six-kilometer race begins at 11 a.m. and will be followed by the men's eight-kilometer at 11:40 a.m. The championship races will conclude the meet, beginning with the women's six-kilometer at 12:20 p.m. The final race of the day is the men's eight-kilometer championship race at 1 p.m.
The meet will be streamed live by FloTrack and admission is free for the invite. Parking information is available here.
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