Gators Set to Compete in Pre-National Invitational
Friday, October 17, 2008 | Cross Country
The University of Florida cross country team heads to Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, Oct. 18 for the Pre-NCAA Invitational, one of the most competitive meets before conference and regional action starts.
The No. 15 women's team will be running in the first race of the day, at 11 a.m., in the 6K blue race. It will be the first time this season the Gators will run the extra one kilometer, as all their meets thus far have been 5K races. Other Southeastern Conference teams competing in the same heat are Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State and South Carolina. Of the 40 other teams the Gators will line up against, 11 are nationally ranked, including No. 1 Washington, No. 4 Minnesota and No. 9 Michigan State.
The men will line up for the 12:50 p.m. white 8K race alongside three other SEC schools – Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Of the 40 teams, 11 are also nationally ranked, including No. 3 Colorado, No. 10 Stanford and No. 12 Virginia.
The last time this group of Gators took to the race path was on Oct. 3, when the women placed fifth at the Notre Dame Invitational and the men tied for sixth. Senior Jacy Kruzel (Cooper City, Fla.) was the top finisher, placing 24th, followed by sophomore Ali Crabb (St. Petersburg, Fla.) in 28th and freshman Genevieve LaCaze (Queensland, Australia) in 31st. On the men's side, senior Jeremy Criscione (Interlachen, Fla.) finished third overall, breaking UF's 5-mile record, which he set in 2006. He was followed by junior Justin Taylor (St. Augustine, Fla.) in 15th, his time ranking sixth in the 5-mile record books, and classmate Sean Blaney (Kissimmee, Fla.) in 47th.
In 2007, the Florida men finished 14th overall at the Pre-National meet, while the women took 10th. Criscione broke a 14-year-old Florida record, clocking the 8K in 23:38.3 to place 12th overall. Kruzel was the first Lady Gator to cross the finish line, placing 24th in 20:54.1.
Florida will run the same course the NCAA Championship will be held on Nov. 24. Results will be available after each race on www.gatorzone.com/crosscountry.
