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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014
PAGE 5B
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One Jayhawk represents team at championships
IJDEY ANGUIANO
@joey_anguiano
On Saturday, there will be one lone Jayhawk taking the starti-
ing line amongst the Wildcats,
Cyclones, Razorbacks, Ducks,
Spartans and Buffaloes. Junior Jacob Morgan will be running
in the NCAA Championships as an at-large qualifier.
Morgan was one of 38 individuals selected as an individual qualifier through an automatic and at-large selection process. Every individual qualifier that was selected placed in the top 25 in their region. If Morgan can finish in the top 40 racers, he will qualify for All-American honors; the perfect way to cap off a season where he not only has All-Big 12 honors, but also All-Region honors already under his belt.
The field is extremely stacked, with the best runners in the nation competing. Many consider Oregon's Edward Cheeserek to be the favorite. The sophomore has posted times consistently low all season,with his personal
best coming in at 23:23 for an 8K. In comparison, Maksim Korolev, a fifth-year senior from Stanford who is projected to take second place, has an 8K average time of 23:38, while Morgan's top 8K time of the season is 24:16.
Morgan will have his work cut out for him competing against times like that, but he comes in with a slight advantage having seen the course once during the season at the Indiana State Pre-Nationals Invitational in October.
The course will be slightly soggier than it was in October. According to Weather.com, there is a 50 percent chance of rain on Saturday morning and a high temperature of 46 and wind of 12 mph.
The final meet of the season will start at noon with the women's race, and the gun will go off for the men at 1 p.m. There will be a livestream of the events on ncaa.com.
- Edited by Logan Schlossberg
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
Kansas cross country runners prepare to race during the Big 12 Championship at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. The women's team placed eighth and the men's team placed fifth. Only one Jayhawk, junior Jacob Morgan, will be racing in the NCAA Championships as an at-large qualifier.
Runner selected for at-large bid to NCAA Championships
JOEY ANGUIANO
@joey_anguiano
Even on his days off, after six days of practice, after finishing a 10K last Friday, you can still find junior Jacob Morgan running. Why does he keep running? The answer is simple: He enjoys it.
His dedication to the sport has been evident all season long. Morgan, originally from Topeka, is finishing up his final week of the cross country season. After taking seventh place at the NCAA Regional Championships 10K race last Friday, Morgan has been selected for an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships this Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind. The 10K was the longest distance of the season, but it didn't phase Morgan.
around you."
"It was a little longer, but not much different," Morgan said. "You just coast a little longer, focus a little more and make your big push later in the race. When you're coasting, you've just got to try to get yourself in a good zone and be conscious of what's going on
Now, the transfer from Colorado State finds himself preparing for the next race while recovering from the last one. In addition to cutting down on his mileage during this week's practices, he also is mentally preparing for the largest stage that collegiate cross country can offer.
"It comes down to understanding the fact that I'm ready to race against these guys." Morgan said. "They are the best in the nation, but I didn't get here on a fluke."
belong here too."
"[Morgan is] extremely supportive and very motivating for his teammates."
MICHAEL WHITTLESEY
Cross country coach
Coach Michael Whittlesey knows that Morgan can compete with the best in the nation because of both his belief in himself and his work ethic. Whittlesey has seen Morgan putting in the work all season long, and he believes Morgan has put himself in the right position to succeed. Whittlesey is also thankful for the impact that Jacob has had on the program and the teammates.
"Jacob is a great leader, a huge part of that is by putting himself in the upper echelon of runners, and giving something for his teammates to shoot for. He's extremely supportive and very motivating
for his teammates," Whittlesey said.
But Morgan is quick to shrug off the notion that he's "the guy" just because of where he finishes in the race.
I don't feel that way (being 'the guy'), we all work out and train together, we run the races together, and we just try to finish ahead in the race," Morgan said.
— Edited by Logan Schlossberg
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