UW-Oshkosh To Host A Distinguished Group Of Teams

UW-Oshkosh will host one of the largest collegiate cross country meets in the nation this Saturday (Oct. 18) at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne.

Formerly called the Brooks Invitational, this year’s AAE Invitational features 47 men’s and women’s teams from 49 institutions, including 23 squads that are ranked in the top 25 in either the NCAA Division II or the NCAA Division III. The teams come from 10 different states (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin).

The men’s 8,000-meter race begins at 10:30 a.m. The women’s 6,000-meter race starts at 11:15 a.m.

Admission is $5 (free for ages 5 and under) for the roundtrip, three-mile shuttle between Winneconne High School (100 Wolf Run) and the Lake Breeze Golf Club (6333 Ball Prairie Road). There will be no spectator parking at the Lake Breeze Golf Club. The shuttle service begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.

The UW-Oshkosh men enter the meet ranked 21st in the NCAA Division III by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The other top-25 NCAA Division III men’s teams competing are top-ranked North Central College (Ill.), third-ranked UW-Eau Claire, 11th-ranked Wabash College (Ind.), 14th-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 16th-ranked Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.), 17th-ranked UW-Stout and 24th-ranked Calvin College (Mich.). North Central College captured last year’s title with 33 points and went on to finish second at the NCAA Division III Championship.

The ranked NCAA Division II squads are second-ranked Grand Valley State University (Mich.), eighth-ranked Augustana College (S.D.), 23rd-ranked UW-Parkside and 25th-ranked Lewis University (Ill.). Grand Valley State University finished second and Augustana College third at the 2013 NCAA Division II Championship.

UW-Oshkosh placed fourth at last year’s meet with 152 points. The Titans’ highest returning runner from last year’s race is Ryne Scopp, who placed 74th with a time of 25:49.

The UW-Oshkosh women will face 11 top-25 teams. The group is led by defending NCAA Division II champion Grand Valley State University.

Ranked NCAA Division III women’s teams participating are fourth-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sixth-ranked Washington University in St. Louis, 10th-ranked Willamette University (Ore.), 12th-ranked Carleton College (Minn.), 14th-ranked Calvin College, 19th-ranked St. Olaf College (Minn.), 21st-ranked North Central College and 24th-ranked Hope College (Mich.). Also in the field is the University of Chicago (Ill.), which placed fourth at the 2013 NCAA Division III Championship.

The ranked NCAA Division II teams attending are top-ranked Grand Valley State University, seventh-ranked Augustana College (S.D.) and 25th-ranked Lewis University.

UW-Oshkosh placed 17th at last year’s meet with 485 points. Sonny Jenkins returns for the Titans after finishing 84th in 2013 with a time of 23:19.

Calvin College won last year’s meet with 71 points.