Elite fields next challenge for Texas A&M at Wisconsin Invitational

Friday, October 14

Madison, Wis.

11:00 AM

Texas A&M

Wisconsin Nuttycombe Invitational

Oct 12, 2016 | Cross Country

MADISON, Wisc. – Texas A&M competes in the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, which features 36 nationally ranked cross country teams, this Friday on the Thomas Zimmer Championship course. Action begins at 11 a.m. with the women's B race and concludes with the men's championship race at 1:20 p.m.

The Aggie men race in the championship division while the women will compete in the B division. The women race over 6,000 meters and the men race over 8,000 meters. Coverage of the meet is available on Flotrack.org through its subscription service.

"The guys really wanted the opportunity to race at Wisconsin this year, and fortunately, Wisconsin wanted us to come to the meet this year," stated Texas A&M assistant coach Wendel McRaven. "It's a great opportunity and it's almost the national meet with the teams that are competing.

"One of our goals is to qualify as a team for the NCAA Championships and this meet will provide a great preview of the national championship race. It gives us a chance to see what it's like to compete in that level of a field before we start the championship portion of our season."

Texas A&M will have 10 men racing at Wisconsin, with seven competing in the championship race and three in the B race. The Aggies competing include Jon Bishop, Taylor Clayton, Christian Farris, Elliott Farris, Jacob Perry, Colin Stoeber, Ryan Teel, Juan Uribe, Cameron Villarreal and Austin Wells.

"Our women's team, even with a returning All-American in Karis Jochen leading the charge, is not one of the top 30 teams in the country," said McRaven. "So, this gives them an opportunity to compete with some other schools in the same situation and see where they stack up.

"We can run all nine of our girls who are traveling in the B race, where the field size should be similar to the numbers we will see in the SEC meet later this month. That should give them a chance to find each other during the race and work on the some of the team dynamics we will use in the conference meet."

In addition to Jochen, the Aggies competing in the women's race include Lauryn Barrientos, Laura Craig, Haley Deakins, Ashley Driscoll, Devin Norton, Kesley Persyn, Arin Rice and Katie Watson.

Now in its eighth year, the Wisconsin Invitational has established itself as one of the premier meets in the country. This year both championship fields include 18 of the top 30 programs, including five of the top eight men's teams and five of the top 10 women's teams.

Both championship races feature the top three teams from the USTFCCCA national rankings. Northern Arizona, Syracuse and BYU are in the men's race while the women's race includes Providence, North Carolina State and Washington.

Last year's winning teams at the Wisconsin Invitational – New Mexico women and Syracuse men – each went on to claim the NCAA title.

Nuttycome Wisconsin Invitational – Friday, October 14, 2016
11 a.m. – Women's B – 6,000m
11:40 a.m. – Men's B – 8,000m
12:30 p.m. – Women's Championship – 6,000m
1:20 p.m. – Men's Championship – 8,000m

Men's top 30 teams: Northern Arizona (1), Syracuse (2), BYU (3), Portland (7), Iona (8), Stanford (11), Iowa State (14), Eastern Kentucky (15), Wisconsin (16), Georgetown (17), Boise State (18), Michigan State (22), Washington (23), Providence (24), Penn (25), Tulsa (26), UCLA (27), and Illinois (29). Receiving votes: Columbia, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Princeton, Southern Utah and Washington State.

Women's top 30 teams: Providence (1), North Carolina State (2), Washington (3), Michigan State (6), Boise State (10), New Mexico (11), BYU (15), Yale (17), Georgetown (18), San Francisco (19), Syracuse (20), Baylor (21), Utah (23), SMU (24), Iowa State (=26), Penn (=26), Notre Dame (28), and Harvard (29). Receiving votes: Minnesota, Princeton, Tulsa, UCLA, Vanderbilt and Villanova.