FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2005
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN 3B
CROSS COUNTRY
High-ranking runners
High-ra KU joins CU UT in top 15 of NCAA poll
BY ANTONIO MENDOZA
amendoza@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
This season's Mondo Men's Cross Country Rankings has put Kansas through a roller coaster of rankings.
After the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 24 in Minneapolis, Minn., the Jayhawks were ranked No. 24. Then, Kansas did not compete for three weeks and dropped four spots to No. 28. But after Saturday's fourth-place finish in the NCAA Pre-Nationals Invitational, the men's team jumped 15 spots to claim the No. 13 ranking in the nation.
It's the first time this season the cross country team has been ranked
in the top 15. The only other Big 12 Schools that are ranked ahead of Kansas are Colorado at No.3 and Texas at No.12.
"We are very excited about it," sophomore Colby Wissel said. "I think it's a great honor to be recognized that way, but at the same time, I think we're most excited at the fact that we haven't put our best race together. There is still plenty of room for improvement."
Earlier this season, Kansas cross country coach Stanley Redwine said the main goal for this year's cross country team was to make it to the NCAA Championship.
Doug Clark, Kansas assistant cross country coach, said the rankings looked nice, but the team still had to make it to the NCAA Championship.
"The ranking is definitely a big positive for the program, Clark said. "It is definitely indicative how the guys are doing now and I'm really happy they are getting
the recognition for doing such a good job. But the bottom line is it has no bearing whether or not we go to nationals."
There are two ways for a team to qualify for the national championship. Kansas will race in the Midwest Regional Championship on Nov. 12 in Iowa City, Iowa. The top two teams from each of the nine regions automatically qualify. Thirteen additional at-large spots are filled by the teams with the most points. A team receives a point for every team it beats in the regular season.
Kansas has this weekend off and will be heading to Waco, Texas, on Oct. 28 to race in the Big 12 Championship.
Last season, then junior Benson Chesang won the men Big 12 Championship. The men placed fourth and the women placed tenth.
— Edited by Nate Karlin
KIRYT'S Monday Night Specials
Stadium snapshot
Huy Richard Mach/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Christie Olson and her boyfriend Jeron Heany take a self portrait with their seat in the center field bleachers after the Houston Astros defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in game six of the National League Championship Series Wednesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Busch Stadium opened in 1966. The wrecking ball is scheduled to begin demolition in three weeks.