It's that time of year again, when competitors meet on an open field, smell the newly cut grass, wait for their chance to demolish their opponents. No, I'm not talking about football. It's cross country season, baby!
I know, running for miles doesn't sound like a spectator sport, but the Nebraska Wesleyan University Men's and Women's cross country teams are proving that wrong early on in their season.
Their first competition was at Woody-Greeno Invitational Sept. 19, their home meet, at Pioneers Park in Lincoln.
In the men's field, there were 26 teams and 341 total runners in their race. With all of the excitement and competition, the no. 16-ranked men's team got off to a good start, placing seventh in the college team standings.
Seniors Logan Watley and Neil Wolford led the Prairie Wolves through the difficult course with impressive times of 26:01 and 26:09 on the 8,000 meter course.
These times earned them individual places of 25th and 31st overall.
For the women's race, there were 27 teams and 266 total runners in the race.
The women started off the season strong with a second-place finish in the team standings, losing to no. 4-ranked Wartburg by only 16 points.
Returning All-American Jackie Spelts led the Lady Prairie Wolves with a 17 place finish overall, finishing the 6,000 meter course in 21:48. Other ladies helping out Spelts included sophomores Katie Nelson and Hannah Kinberg with a 32nd (22:29) and 38th (22:40) place finish overall.
After this meet, the teams headed to the west coast. The Nebraska Wesleyan University cross country teams had a successful trip to Oregon as both the men and women competed very well at the Charles Bowles Invitational hosted by Williamatte University in Salem on Saturday, Oct. 3rd.
The men's team finished fifth out of 19 teams in the 8K race, while the women were eighth out of 19 teams in the 5K race.
The NWU men were second among NCAA Division III schools, as the other three teams to defeat the Prairie Wolves were NCAA Division I schools. The host school, Williamette, placed third overall to lead the DIII schools with 113 points, while NWU had 170.
Watley led the NWU men with an 18th place finish in 24:51. Senior Brian Copley also was in the top 25 as he placed 23rd with a time of 24:57.
Wolford just missed the top 25, finishing 27th with a time of 25:02.
The Lady Prairie Wolves also had two individuals place in the top 25.
Spelts answered her Woody-Greeno performance with another outstanding race as she placed eighth individually, finishing the 5k race in a time of 17:59. She was second among all NCAA III competitors.
Also finishing in the top 25 for the Lady Prairie Wolves was junior Hayley Sutter, who crossed the finish line in 18:12 to place 16th overall.
With these two races down, the teams are now focusing on the University of Wisonsin-La Crosse Invitational in La Crosse, Wisc., coming up on Oct. 17.
NWU will have another chance to compare their skills with other Division III teams that will be there.
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