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.