Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Schirmer named MVC Cross Country Athlete of the Week
09/30/2008 | 12:00:00 | Cross Country
Sept. 30, 2008
St. Louis, Mo - Valley runners continue to show well through the first month of the season as one individual champion, two team titles and seven runners placed in the top-five of their respective races over the weekend. Southern Illinois claimed both team titles at its own Saluki Invitational, with Saluki junior Jeff Schirmer taking home individual honors in the men's 8k event. Schirmer led the charge that saw the Southern Illinois men claim six of the top-10 positions in the race.
Five women's teams dot this week's USTFCCCA Regional Rankings, all in the Midwest Region. Preseason favorite Missouri State (8) leads the pack that includes Wichita State (9), Southern Illinois (13), Northern Iowa (14) and Illinois State (15).
Three men's squads - Southern Illinois, Illinois State and Indiana State - also dot the regional rankings. Indiana State is the MVC representative in the Great Lakes Region, checking in at No. 14, while Southern Illinois (6) and Illinois State (10) make up the Valley contingent in the Midwest Region.
This week, seven MVC teams are in action, including two heading to South Bend, Ind., to take part in the Notre Dame Invitational. Illinois State and Indiana State will represent the Valley at the meet.
Two others, Missouri State and Wichita State, will travel to Stillwater, Okla., to participate in the Cowboy Jamboree.
Drake will take part in two events, with some members participating in the Viking Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa, while others will make the trip to Malibu, Calif., to run in the Pepperdine Invitational.
Evansville will head to Cookeville, Tenn., for the Tennessee Tech Invitational, while Southern Illinois travels to Louisville, Ky., for the Louisville Classic.
This week's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Athletes of the Week are Jeff Schirmer of Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa's Carly Olsen.
Jeff Schirmer, Southern Illinois, Jr., (Troy, Ill./Triad) Junior Jeff Schirmer led a pack of teammates at the Saluki Invitational, winning the 8k race in a time of 24:47:49. Schirmer was the first Saluki to cross the finish line, leading Southern Illinois to the team title, with the Saluki men taking six of the top-10 spots in the event. This week's accolade marks Schirmer's third Athlete of the Week honor this season.
Carly Olsen, UNI, Fr., (Missouri Valley, Iowa/Logan Magnolia) Freshman Carly Olsen has shined for the Purple and Gold in her young career for the Panthers. At the Roy Griak Invitational, hosted by the University of Minnesota, Olsen was the top finisher for the Panthers, crossing the finish line in the 6k race with a time of 22:06, good for 25th place out of 333 competitors. Her 6k time is the best in the Valley this season by eight seconds. The meet featured four teams which are recognized in this week's USTFCCCA's rankings, including Minnesota (4), Arizona State (7), New Mexico (18) and Duke (26). The Panthers finished eighth out of 23 squads.
