Cross Country Teams Take Auburn Invite Team Titles

Saturday, September 29

Auburn, AL

Florida Gators

Auburn Invitational

Cross Country Teams Take Auburn Invite Team Titles

Saturday, September 29, 2007 | Cross Country

It was a fast day on the Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday as the Florida men's and women's cross country teams swept the Auburn Invitational team titles. The women finished ahead of No. 14 Iowa to take the title, while the men had each of its top five runners finish in the top 10 for their win.

"This was a big win for our women's team," head coach Jeff Pigg said. "Iowa is a good team that will make the national championship, so it says a lot for the work our women have put in to be able to go out there and beat them today. The guys looked great as well. Our top nine guys did a super job and ran together really well. I was a good team effort."

Not only did the teams finish well, but individuals had career-best performances as well. Senior Enoch Nadler (Keystone Heights, Fla.) took the men's individual title, his second win of the season, finishing the 8K race in 23:46.28, the fourth fastest time in school history. Junior Jeremy Criscione (Interlachen, Fla.) ran a new career-best 8K time of 23:52.69, the seventh best time in school history, in his first race since a hernia surgery this summer. On the women's side, both junior Jacy Kruzel (Cooper City, Fla.) and freshman Rebecca Lowe (Vaucluse, Australia) finished the 5K race in under 17 minutes, the first time Gator runners have done so since 1986. Kruzel's time of 16:57.74 is the seventh fastest in school history, while Lowe's time of 16:59.40 is the ninth fastest. Ten of the 12 Gator women competing ran new career-best times, while 11 of the 12 men earned new career-bests.

"I've never won a cross country meet until this year," Nadler said of his second win of the season. "I had a really great summer training with the guys. All of our guys have been training well together. I feel we can run with anybody in the country. I'm really looking forward to the pre-national meet. This is a step in the right direction. This win really helps my confidence and hopefully, in turn, it will help the team."

Senior Lindsay Sundell (Fort Salonga, N.Y.) was the third finisher for the Gator women in ninth overall with time of 17:03.58. Senior Kristen Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) was back to her usual form to finish in 17:13.69 in 12th place. Freshman Ali Crabb (St. Petersburg, Fla.) rounded out the scoring five, finishing 14th in 17:20.36.

The No. 30 Gator women upset the No. 14 Iowa women by just four points, finishing with 41 points, with Iowa coming in with 45. Iowa had three of the top four finishers overall, but each of Florida's top six harriers came in before the fourth Iowa runner to secure the win.

Nadler and Criscione both finished ahead of Auburn's Felix Kibioywo, who was this week's Southeastern Conference Men's Athlete of the Week. Florida's next three finishers came in one right after another in seventh, eighth and ninth places overall. Sophomore Sean Blaney (Kissimmee, Fla.) led that pack with a time of 24:15.66. Senior Jose Garcia (Miami, Fla.) crossed the finish line just under three seconds later with a time of 24:18.28. Senior Jeremy Miller (West Palm Beach, Fla.) was right behind him as Florida's final scorer with a time of 24:22.88.

The Gator men finished the race with 24 points, 50 points ahead of the next finisher, LSU. In addition to each of Florida's top five runners finishing in the top 10, the next four runners finished in the top 20 overall.

The Gators will run again on Oct. 13 at the Pre-NCAA Invitational at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center outside Terre Haute, Ind.

Top 10 Women's Team Scores

1. Florida 41

2. Iowa 45

3. Davidson 148

4. Auburn 162

5. Tulane 175

6. Florida State 179

7. Samford 203

8. LSU 205

9. Alabama-Huntsville 213

10. Lipscomb 292