Brooks Invitational Welcomes 13 Nationally Ranked Teams
The top-ranked men’s team and the number-one women’s
squad in the NCAA Division III will be in the field at Winneconne's
Lake Breeze Golf Course on Saturday (Oct. 17) as UW-Oshkosh hosts
the largest cross country event in school history.
Nearly 1,000 runners from more than 35 colleges and universities
are expected to compete in this year’s UW-Oshkosh Brooks
Invitational.
The women lead off the spectacle with a 6,000-meter run at 10:30
a.m. The men close the meet with an 8,000-meter race at 11:15
a.m.
The women's division features six NCAA Division III teams ranked
nationally by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country
Coaches Association, including number-one Calvin College (Mich.).
Looking to defeat the Knights are 10th-ranked Washington University
(Mo.), 11th-ranked Bethel University (Minn.), 12th-ranked
UW-Oshkosh, 25th-ranked DePauw University (Ind.) and 28th-ranked
University of Chicago (Ill.).
Defending national champion Marie Borner of Bethel University is
one elite contestant gunning for the women’s title. Joining
her in the race are UW-Oshkosh’s Ayla Mitchell (Sr. •
New Richmond), Carroll University’s Megan O’Grady and
University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Morgan Place. Mitchell
finished third at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championship, while
Place took fifth.
Calvin College took home the women’s team title last year,
amassing 59 points. UW-Oshkosh finished second in the 30-team meet
with 123 points, while the University of Minnesota-Duluth placed
third with 129, Washington University fourth with 152 and Bethel
University fifth with 175.
Top-ranked North Central College (Ill.) leads the list of seven
men’s squads ranked in the top 30 of the NCAA Division III.
Others expected to challenge for first place are sixth-ranked UW
Stevens Point, ninth-ranked Augustana College (Ill.), 15th-ranked
UW-Oshkosh, 16th-ranked Calvin College, 29th-ranked Grinnell
College (Iowa) and 30th-ranked UW-Whitewater.
Projected to compete for the men's individual title are Mike
Spain, Kyle Brady and Nate Hird of North Central College, Dan
Greeno of Bethel University and Joel Heroux of UW-Stevens Point.
Spain placed 12th at last year’s NCAA Division III
Championship, while Hird finished 32nd, Greeno 33rd, Brady 41st and
Heroux 64th.
North Central College was victorious in the 2008 edition of the
Books Invitational with 68 points. UW-Stevens Point finished second
in the 32-team event with 73 points, Calvin College third with 104,
UW-Oshkosh fourth with 158 and Augustana College fifth with
183.