IU Cross Country

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Heading into the final weekend of the cross-country season, the Indiana Men's and Women's Cross-Country teams are ranked in this week's USTFCCCA National Coaches Poll. The men's squad checked in at No. 16 while the women's team is ranked No. 26.
 
At the NCAA Selection Show both squads were chosen as At-Large selections. This is the third year in a row that the women have been selected as a team which tied a program record. On the men's side, this is the second year in a row that they heard their name called on Selection Saturday as a unit.
 
Last weekend, the Hoosiers competed at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Madison, Wisc. where the men's team finished in fourth and the women placed sixth overall. Ben Veatch and Bailey Hertenstein led the Hoosiers last Friday afternoon in their respective races. Veatch took fourth with a time of 30:14.6 while Hertenstein picked up sixth and time of 20:19.9.
 
NCAA Championships will be held in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Championships Cross Country Course. The women's 6k race starts at 11:15 a.m. followed by the men's 10k race at 12:15 a.m. Both races will stream live on FloTrack. A premium subscription is required.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Indiana Cross Country takes the course for the final time in 2019 at NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday, Nov. 22.
 
The women's 6k will kick off the meet at 11:15 a.m. while the men's race will follow at 12:15 p.m. on the Lavern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
 
The Northern Arizona men and Colorado women return to the championships to defend the national titles that they won a year ago. Wisconsin's Morgan McDonald and Colorado's Dani Jones, who have since graduated, were tabbed as the individual national champions in Madison, Wisc. at the 2018 NCAA National Championships.
 
Thirty-one teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top two, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the nine regions, for a total of 18 teams. Thirteen additional teams were selected at-large.
 
On Selection Saturday, the Hoosiers heard both their men's and women's squads called as at-large selections after their fourth and sixth place finishes at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional.
 
At the Great Lakes Regional, Ben Veatch and Kyle Mau led the way for Indiana in the men's race as they placed fourth and seventh, respectively. On the women's side, Bailey Hertenstein continued her strong sophomore season by placing sixth individually to lead the Hoosier women.
 
To follow Indiana at the NCAA Championships, live results can be viewed here. The championships will also stream live on FloTrack.

Live Results

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

 IU Women place 19th as a team.  Bailey Hertenstein was our top individual finisher in 31st place and earns All-American honors.

 

This is a very young squad.  Hertenstein is a sophomore.  Schmitt, Barker, Green, Little and Ramirez are just freshmen.  Harris is a senior.  At least on paper, the future looks bright for the women's program.

 

 

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

IU Men's team finishes  in 13th place.  Top overall men's finisher was senior Kyle Mau in 12th place in 31 minutes flat.  The winning time was 30:32.7 so it was a very close race.   With his 12th place finish, Mau earns All-American honors.

61st - Ben Veatch(Jr)   31:35.9

91st - Arjun Jha(So)        31:56.2

128th - Matthew Schadler(Fr)     31:11.2

148th - Bryce Millar(Sr)      32:19.1

163rd - Dustin Horter(So)     32:29.0

219th - Reese Jordan(So)     33:34.7      

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Glass Announces New Cross Country Course Named The Sam Bell Cross Country Course After Legendary Coach

Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass announced today that IU's newly-constructed championship cross country course has been named the Sam Bell Cross Country Course, in honor of Indiana University's late Hall of Fame Cross Country and Track and Field coach.

Glass also announced that a formal dedication of the new facility will be scheduled later this year consistent with COVID-19 developments.

"Sam was a legend in his profession and an extraordinary teacher and mentor to hundreds of students and colleagues during his 29 years at Indiana University," said IU Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass. "His impact on his students extended well beyond their time in Bloomington, and his impact on Indiana University extended well beyond his coaching tenure. He is very deserving of this recognition and honor."

The Sam Bell Cross Country Course is a stand alone, dedicated cross country facility that encompasses 40 acres and is located in close proximity to the former IU Cross Course, just east of the 45/46 bypass. Bloomington-based Bledsoe Riggert Cooper James completed the design and engineering of the project, consistent with input from the IU Track and Field and Cross Country staff. The project cost approximately $540,000.

The new course occupies a portion of the former course's land while also extending to the northeast of the former location. Like its predecessor, the Sam Bell Cross Country Course is one of the nation's premiere cross country layouts that is worthy of hosting Big Ten, regional and national championship events. Among its features are 3K, 2K and 1K loops that can be configured to host races of all standard cross country distances, and it was designed to create great viewing options for spectators.

Bell enjoyed extraordinary success during his nearly three decades (1970-98) as IU's Track and Field and Cross Country coach. A six-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Bell guided his teams to 26 Big Ten team championships (13 indoor track and field, eight outdoor track and field, five cross country), the most of any coach in IU Athletics history. Individually, his student-athletes won 20 NCAA championships, including four in cross country (Kim Betz, Michelle Dekkers and Bob Kennedy twice). They also captured 242 Big Ten individual titles, earned 147 All-America honors, and 10 competed in the Olympics.  Before arriving at IU, he coached the Oregon State Men's Cross Country team to the 1961 NCAA Championship. 

Bell's influence, meanwhile, extended well beyond Bloomington. He served as the U.S. Olympic Men's Distance Coach in 1976, and was inducted into both the U.S. Track Coaches and National Track and Field Halls of Fame before his passing in 2016 at the age 0f 88.

"The Indiana University cross country program has been synonymous with success on the Big Ten and NCAA levels," said Indiana University Deputy Director of Athletics Scott Dolson. "I am excited not only to see Sam honored in this way, but also for what the completion of the Sam Bell Cross Country Course means for our current students. They now have an exceptional course to compete and train on, one that also now honors the rich tradition of our program."

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

We're not competing but the USTFCCCA Cross Country National Coaches Poll  polls go on regardless.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Baby, it's cold outside.

Big Ten fits cross-country around indoor track, putting meet at Shelbyville

Can you have a cross-country meet in the middle of winter, in the middle of Indiana, in the middle of indoor track season?

In the middle of a pandemic: Yes.

The Big Ten Championships in men’s and women’s cross-country will be Jan. 30 at Shelbyville’s Blue River Course. The course has annually been the site of a high school semistate and has held other college and high school meets.

The Big Ten has not posted anything on its website about cross-country or indoor track since Aug. 11. There will be no spectators allowed from the general public, according to Blue River's Twitter account.

All fall sports, including cross-country, were postponed by the Big Ten because of the pandemic.

There are no NCAA regionals in cross-country this season, so selection for the national championships will be done strictly from conference results.  Big Ten cross-country and track is confined to intraconference competition. 

Last year’s college outdoor track season was canceled. No outdoor schedules for 2021 have been announced.

The Big Ten Indoor Championships, in which Indiana men are defending champions, are Feb. 26-27 at the Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

The NCAA Indoor Championships are March 12-13 at Fayetteville, Ark., and NCAA Championships in cross-country March 15 at Stillwater, Okla.

It is plausible, although perhaps unrealistic, for some distance runners to compete in both nationals two days apart. It would be unprecedented in collegiate running.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Men Place Second and Women Place Fourth at B1G Cross Country Championships

Despite the Big Ten Cross Country Championships being held in January, Indiana Cross Country did not miss a beat as the men placed second and the women finished fourth in the team standings. The fourth place finish by the women was tied for the best finish since 2005.
 
For the second straight season Bailey Hertenstein was the runner-up of the women's 6k. She ran a time of 20:15.2 to lead all Indiana runners. Sarah Schmitt was the second Hoosier over the finish line as she placed 10th in a time of 20:46.5. Jenna Barker and Maddie Dalton finished back-to-back in 28th and 29th, respectively. Barker crossed in a time of 21.21.2 while Dalton picked up a time of 21.21.8.
 
Running her first conference championship meet, Gracie Sprankle completed the race 32nd with a time of 21:29.0. Mikaela Ramirez crossed next for Indiana as she placed 34th and had a time of 21.31.8. Next, Mariah Wehrle nabbed a time of 21:35.6 to take 38th overall. Ana Barrott secured 40th in a time of 21.36.7 while Abi Little was next to cross as she placed 55th with a time of 21:58.0.
 
Rounding out the field for the Hoosiers was Alyssa Skorge and Grace Williams. Skorge took 70th in a time of 22.21.4 while Williams picked up 75th and a time of 22.27.8.
 
The Indiana men saw five Hoosiers in the top-15 as they crossed the finish line. Three Hoosiers finished eighth through 10th as Ben Veatch led the way with an eighth place finish in a time of 24:18.2. It was Matthew Schadler in ninth with a time of 24:19.1 while Jake Gebhardt crossed tenth and secured a time of 24:20.5. Skylar Stidam rounded out the top-15 by placing 13th in a time of 24:22.9.
 
Running his first Big Ten race, Austin Haskett nabbed 25th and ran a time of 24:42.5. Ben Miller picked up a time of 25:07.3 to place 39th overall. Dustin Horter finished in a time of 25:36.7 to lock down 50th while Ethan Meyer rounded out the Indiana field in 61st with a time of 25:49.9.
 
Now, the Hoosiers await their fate for NCAA Cross Country Championships that will commence in Stillwater, Okla. on Mar. 15.

[LamarCheeks 18,946]

1 hour ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Men Place Second and Women Place Fourth at B1G Cross Country Championships

Despite the Big Ten Cross Country Championships being held in January, Indiana Cross Country did not miss a beat as the men placed second and the women finished fourth in the team standings. The fourth place finish by the women was tied for the best finish since 2005.
 
For the second straight season Bailey Hertenstein was the runner-up of the women's 6k. She ran a time of 20:15.2 to lead all Indiana runners. Sarah Schmitt was the second Hoosier over the finish line as she placed 10th in a time of 20:46.5. Jenna Barker and Maddie Dalton finished back-to-back in 28th and 29th, respectively. Barker crossed in a time of 21.21.2 while Dalton picked up a time of 21.21.8.
 
Running her first conference championship meet, Gracie Sprankle completed the race 32nd with a time of 21:29.0. Mikaela Ramirez crossed next for Indiana as she placed 34th and had a time of 21.31.8. Next, Mariah Wehrle nabbed a time of 21:35.6 to take 38th overall. Ana Barrott secured 40th in a time of 21.36.7 while Abi Little was next to cross as she placed 55th with a time of 21:58.0.
 
Rounding out the field for the Hoosiers was Alyssa Skorge and Grace Williams. Skorge took 70th in a time of 22.21.4 while Williams picked up 75th and a time of 22.27.8.
 
The Indiana men saw five Hoosiers in the top-15 as they crossed the finish line. Three Hoosiers finished eighth through 10th as Ben Veatch led the way with an eighth place finish in a time of 24:18.2. It was Matthew Schadler in ninth with a time of 24:19.1 while Jake Gebhardt crossed tenth and secured a time of 24:20.5. Skylar Stidam rounded out the top-15 by placing 13th in a time of 24:22.9.
 
Running his first Big Ten race, Austin Haskett nabbed 25th and ran a time of 24:42.5. Ben Miller picked up a time of 25:07.3 to place 39th overall. Dustin Horter finished in a time of 25:36.7 to lock down 50th while Ethan Meyer rounded out the Indiana field in 61st with a time of 25:49.9.
 
Now, the Hoosiers await their fate for NCAA Cross Country Championships that will commence in Stillwater, Okla. on Mar. 15.

Ah, I looked for such a thread to post the cross country video -- but couldn't find it. I thought I recalled seeing one ... 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

IUXC Men and Women Earn Bid To NCAA National Championships

For the third year in a row Indiana Cross Country will send both its men's and women's squads to the NCAA Cross Country National Championships. The Hoosiers saw both the men's and women's teams read at the selection show on Sunday afternoon.

The NCAA Cross Country Championships will be held on Monday Mar. 15 in Stillwater, Okla. The women's 6k will race first followed by the men's 10k. The National Championships will broadcast live on ESPNU.
 
Having only competed at Big Ten Conference championships, the men's squad were runners-up while the women placed fourth. This was tied for the highest finish by the women since the 2005 season.
 
The Indiana men saw five top-15 finishes at Big Ten Championships. The Indiana men saw five Hoosiers in the top-15 as they crossed the finish line. Three Hoosiers finished eighth through 10th as Ben Veatch led the way with an eighth place finish in a time of 24:18.2. It was Matthew Schadler in ninth with a time of 24:19.1 while Jake Gebhardt crossed tenth and secured a time of 24:20.5. Arjun Jha placed 11th overall and fourth in the Indiana line up with a time of 24:21.6. Skylar Stidam rounded out the top-15 by placing 13th in a time of 24:22.9.
 
For the second straight season Bailey Hertenstein was the runner-up of the women's 6k. She ran a time of 20:15.2 to lead all Indiana runners. Sarah Schmitt was the second Hoosier over the finish line as she placed 10th in a time of 20:46.5.
 
Hertenstein was the lone Hoosiers to receive All-Big Ten First Team accolades while Schmitt, Gebhardt, Jha, Schadler, Stidam, and Veatch were added to the All-Big Ten Second Team List.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

XC Takes Stillwater
The distance squad returns to the cross country course this coming Monday where they will compete at NCAA Cross Country National Championships. The meet will take place at the OSU Cross Country Course in Stillwater, Okla.  The women's 6k race is set for 12:50 p.m. ET while the men's 10k race will go off at approximately 1:40 p.m. ET.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Hoosiers Set For Season Finale At NCAA Cross Country Championships

Indiana Cross Country will conclude its shortened season at NCAA Cross Country National Championships on Monday Mar. 15. The women's 6k is set for 12:50 p.m. ET while the men's 10k will go off at approximately 1:40 p.m. ET.
 
The championships will be held in Stillwater, Okla. at the OSU Cross Country Course. The meet is hosted by Oklahoma State and the NCAA has limited the number of spectators that can attend. 
 
New this season, the NCAA Championships will broadcast live on ESPNU. Coverage of the championship races will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET
 
For the second straight season Bailey Hertenstein was the runner-up of the women's 6k at the Big Ten Championships that were ran in January. She ran a time of 20:15.2 to lead all Indiana runners. Sarah Schmitt was the second Hoosier over the finish line as she placed 10th in a time of 20:46.5. Hertenstein earned All-Big Ten first team honors while Schmitt received second team accolades.
 
The Indiana men saw five Hoosiers in the top-15 as they crossed the finish line. Three Hoosiers finished eighth through 10th as Ben Veatch led the way with an eighth place finish in a time of 24:18.2. It was Matthew Schadler in ninth with a time of 24:19.1 while Jake Gebhardt crossed tenth and secured a time of 24:20.5. Arjun Jha placed 11th overall and fourth in the Indiana lineup with a time of 24:21.6. Skylar Stidam rounded out the top-15 by placing 13th in a time of 24:22.9. All five Indiana runners took home All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
 
During the 2019 NCAA Cross Country Championships, Hertenstein battled back after a fall to claim All-American honors. The men finished in 13th as a team while the women came in 19th.
 

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

IUXC Wraps Up Season Finale

Racing at an abnormal time of year, Indiana Cross Country competed at the NCAA National Championships on Monday afternoon. The women picked up 19th as a team while the men placed 26th.
 
BYU earned the team title on the women's side with 96 points while Northern Arizona took home gold in the men's race with 60 points. Mercy Chelangat of Arkansas was the women's individual champion and Conner Mantz of BYU was the men's individual title holder.
 
In the women's 6k, Bailey Hertenstein repeated as an All-American on Monday afternoon by placing 28th in a time of 20:46.4. This is the highest finish at NCAAs for the junior. Sarah Schmitt was the next Hoosier across the line and finished in 102nd with a time of 21:30.6. Hannah Stoffel crossed five places later in 107th and had a time of 21:32.1. Maddie Dalton clocked a time of 22:03.7 to finish in 170th overall. Abi Little picked up 201st with a time of 22:27.4. Jenna Barker secured a time of 22:40.2 to place 219th. Rounding out the Indiana field was Ana Barrott who completed the race in a time of 23:04.8 and placed 202nd.
 
Ben Veatch led Indiana in the men's 10k by placing 73rd in a time of 31:12.8. Arjun Jha crossed 85th with a time of 31:23.9.  Jake Gebhardt picked up 124th and nabbed a time of 31:53.9. Next to cross for the Hoosiers was Austin Haskett who secured 197th and a time of 32:47.9. Coming in 198th, Skylar Stidam clocked a time of 32:48.8. Ben Miller took 204th in a time of 32:56.0 and Dustin Horter rounded it out in 231st with a time of 34:25.5.
 
All-American Honors
Bailey Hertenstein – Women's 6k

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

'21 season kicks off on Labor Day Weekend.

https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2021/7/9/iu-cross-country-announces-2021-schedule.aspx?fbclid=IwAR0ScAG-Rl4oyvbZDezA6t7CUxWRsttjJi8K7V6fpJY3Fpu1S80MTbrTxvs

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Side note:  I was fortunate to watch Gabe Sanchez run numerous times while he was in high school.  Really happy for him to take first place in his very first race as a Hoosier.

 

 Indiana Cross Country hosted its first home meet since 2017 on Saturday morning. Gabriel Sanchez and Mariah Wehrle won the men's 8k and women's 5k race at the Indiana Open.
 
Running his first race as a Hoosier, Sanchez crossed the finish line first with a time of 25:13.94. Austin Haskett picked up third place and clocked a time of 25:30.76. Keelan Grant was the next Hoosier across as he finished in a time of 25:39.04 to take fifth. Dustin Horter rounded out the top-10 with a time of 25:52.11.
 
Aaron Bennett, Paul Rushton, Nick Couyoumjian, Reece Proctor and Jack Gillard finished 15th though 19th, respectively. Bennett secured a time of 26:27.58 while Rushton crossed in a time of 26:31.76. Couyoumjian locked down a time of 26:39.52 and Proctor saw time of 29:14.59. Gillard finished out the field with a time of 29:26.12.
 
Wehrle captured her first race victory of her career on Saturday. The sophomore crossed in a time of 18:02.14. Gracie Sprankle finished right behind Wehrle in second and garnered a time of 18:03.99. Ana Barrott secured a time of 18:05.93 to finish in fourth. Lauryn Mick and Mikaela Ramirez placed fifth and sixth, respectively. Mick saw a time of 18:06.43 while Ramirez picked up a time of 18:16.48. Alyssa Skorge rounded out the top-10 and had a time of 18:35.18.
 
Abi Little took 13th in a time of 18:53.75. Phoebe Bates and Kelly Mindak concluded the race in 16th and 17th. Bates crossed in a time of 19:04.46 while Mindak captured a time of 19:10.05.
 
Next, Indiana will travel to Terre Haute, Ind. for the John McNichols Invitational on Saturday, September 18. The men's 8k race is scheduled for a 9 a.m. start while the women's 5k will begin at 9:45 a.m.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

 The Big Ten Conference announced their first cross country Athlete of the Week honors of the 2021 season on Wednesday afternoon. Gabriel Sanchez of Indiana Cross Country was tabbed as the Men's Athlete of the Week.
 
Competing in his first event as a Hoosier, Sanchez crossed the finish line first with a time of 25:13.94 at the Indiana Open. This was the first home meet that Indiana had raced since 2017.
 
Up next, the Hoosiers will travel to Indiana State on Saturday, September 18 to compete at the John McNichol's Invite. The men's 8k will commence at 9 a.m. ET while the women's 5k will follow at 9:40 a.m. ET.

[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,773]

Before you read the summary of how IU did, I have to brag that my grandson, a freshman at Depauw, also competed in this event finishing 40th overall and the 5th place runner for his DePauw team.

 

 

IUXC Completes John McNichols Invitational

 Indiana Cross Country wrapped its second meet of the season on Saturday. Skylar Stidam and Mikaela Ramirez led all Indiana runner at the John McNichols Invitational.
 
Stidam crossed the finish third with a time of 24:28.6 followed by Jake Gebhardt in sixth who had a time of 24.50.4.
 
Keelan Grant was the next Hoosier across the line as he clocked a time of 25:04.7 to come in 11th. Ben Miller saw a time of 25:27.8 and placed 19th before Aaron Bennett crossed 30th in a time of 26:07.6.
 
Nick Couyoumjian and Tristan Forsythe finished back-to-back in 31st and 32nd for Indiana. Couyoumjian grabbed a time of 26:09.2 while Forsythe secured a time of 26:18.0. Paul Rushton placed 43rd with a time of 26:37.5.
 
On the women's side, they were led by Ramirez with a seventh place finish and a time of 17:56.3.
 
Lauryn Mick, Mariah Wehrle, and Ana Barrott finished in ninth, 10th, and 11th, respectively. Mick recorded a time of 18:02.6, Wehrle nabbed a time of 18:06.2, and Barrott saw a time of 18:091. Alyssa Skorge finished 16th in a time of 18:28.3 and Gracie Sprankle clocked a time of 18:33.0 to place 19th. Kelly Mindak was the next Indiana runner to finish as she placed 27th and saw a time of 19:08.8. Jenna Barker rounded out the field of Hoosier runners and took 30th and a time 19.11.7.
 
Indiana heads north for their next meet at Notre Dame. The Joe Piane Invite is scheduled for Friday, October 1 in Notre Dame, Ind