Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Cross country hosts Saluki Invitational
10/06/2005 | 12:00:00 | Cross Country
Oct. 6, 2005
By Matt Crouch
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After being on the road for the first month of the season, the Southern Illinois University cross country teams return home for the Saluki Invitational. The meet is the team's lone home event of the season.
Action begins Saturday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. on the SIU Cross Country Course, located behind Abe Martin Field, with the women's 5K race. The men follow with an 8K set to begin at 10:45.
SIU dominated the Saluki Invitational in 2004. The men finished first as a team with Joe Byrne taking the individual title. The women finished second with Brittani Christensen leading the Dawgs at fourth.
Head cross country coach Matt Sparks is excited to see how the team competes against some tough regional competition now that the team has a few meets under its belt.
"On the men's side, the big competition is going to be Southern Indiana. They have Rey Alvarez and we know him pretty well because Rob Duncan ran with him at Rend Lake," said Sparks.
"Alvarez is their top guy so far. He and Joe Byrne battled last week at the Lakefront Invitational and Rey got the upper hand."
Southern Indiana's men's team is currently ranked #14 among Division II cross country teams.
"Eastern Illinois is another tough team," said Sparks. "They beat us earlier this year when we did not have our top guys with us. Eastern is also ranked ahead of us in the regional rankings, so we'll be looking to compete with them."
On the women's side, it should again prove to be Southern Indiana in contention with the Salukis.
"Southern Indiana has the single-best Division II runner in the country in Heather Cooksey," said Sparks. She won the individual girls race last week at the Lakefront Invitational. She will give Sarah Rinker a good run; I expect to see those two up there battling for the win."
Sparks will lead the women's team out with a slightly different look as Jessica Ordway is no longer able to compete because of illness.
"With Jessica Ordway out, Shelby Brice is becoming a key component of our team as someone in our top five," said Sparks. "She has improved dramatically in practice since the first week. She has really increased her fitness and has a much more positive outlook on running."
One intangible that the Salukis have in their favor is running on the team's home course.
"The men's team has not lost a race here in three years," said Sparks. "Both teams want to defend our home turf."
Other positives of being at home are familiarity with the course and running in front of a home crowd.
"It's just nice to sleep in your own bed the night before a race. You have your normal routine and its comforting knowing the course," said Sparks.
"We had success last year at the conference meet on both sides. Everyone feels real confident racing on our own course."
The Saluki Invitational also symbolizes the beginning of the end of the cross country season. Next week, SIU goes to Terre Haute, Ind. for the Pre-NCAA Meet. Indiana State is hosting the 2005 NCAA Championship.
The Dawgs will then take a week off before traveling to Evansville Oct. 29 for the MVC Championships.
"The regular season is kind of winding down. I'll be looking at this meet to see who is going to step up when it counts," said Sparks. "I expect to see the upperclassmen start to move up because they know that this is when it gets important."
Other teams competing in this weekend's Saluki Invitational include: Arkansas State, Eastern Illinois, University of Mississippi, University of Missouri - Kansas City, St. Xavier, University of Evansville, Southeast Missouri State University, Southeastern Illinois College, Saint Louis University and the University of Southern Indiana.
Results for the Saluki Invitational can be accessed at www.siusalukis.com.
