The South’s Largest Collegiate Cross Country Meet EVER in Louisville This Saturday
Louisville, KY- The Greater Louisville Sports Commission (GLSC) will host over 75 colleges and universities from 16 states in the 8th Annual Greater Louisville Classic (GLC), which local collegiate historians state will be the largest college meet contested in the south- EVER. The Classic, run this Saturday October 3rd, will bring together some of the top college cross country programs in the nation, as over 1,400 athletes are expected to compete at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. The event will not only feature immense quantity, but the overall quality of the competing teams continues to improve with each year. The field includes 22 men's teams and 16 women's teams that are currently ranked in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Div- I Regional, NCAA Div. II National, NCAA Div. III National and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Cross Country Polls this season.
In the men's race, 2006 & 2007 GLC team champion University of Louisville (currently ranked #5 in the Southeast Region) should face a very strong challenge by perennial NJCAA power Rend Lake College (IL), currently ranked #1 in the NJCAA National Coaches Poll. The next group of teams expecting to vie for top 5 team honors should be NCAA D-II up-in-coming force Queens University, out of Charlotte (NC), currently ranked #6 in the NCAA D-II Coaches Poll, Big 10 conference school Purdue University (IN), currently ranked #13 in the very strong Great Lakes Region, Southeastern Conference power University of Tennessee currently ranked #6 in the NCAA Div. I South Region Coaches Poll, Ohio Valley Conference power Eastern Kentucky University, ranked #9 in the Southeast Region, and University of Southern Indiana, currently ranked #12 in the NCAA D-II National Coaches Poll.
Individually, the men’s race shapes up as a battle of CHAMPIONS. University of Louisville’s Cory Thorne (2008 defending GLC champion), University of Mississippi’s Barnabas Kirui (2007 NCAA D-I Track & Field National steeplechase champion), Michael Crouch of Queens University (2009 NCAA D-II Outdoor Track & Field National 1,500 champion) and Rend Lake College’s Steven Sambu (National Jr. College XC champion in 2008). University of Louisville teammates Matt Bruce and Matt Hughes, both with early season victories in 2009 harrier action, should also contend for top 10 honors in the men’s race along with McKendree University’s Carison Kemei.
The women’s race should stack up as an evenly matched affair between three squads vying for the team title. Big 12 power University of Missouri, ranked #8 in the Midwest Region, Big 10 conference school Purdue University (IN), currently ranked #9 in the very strong Great Lakes Region), and the University of Louisville, currently ranked #6 in the Southeast Region should battle for top team honors.
The women's individual race showcases the 2008 GLC defending champion Janet Jesang, of Western Kentucky University, who used her 2008 victory to springboard her way to a top 15 finish at the NCAA D-I XC National Championships. Expected to contend for top 5 placing Saturday will be University of Louisville's Tarah McKay (2006 GLC champion, 2007 & 2008 runner-up), Shorter University’s Justyna Mudy (NAIA 2009 National champion in the steeplechase), Southern Indiana’s Mary Ballinger (NCAA D-II 2009 National champion in the steeplechase)
Again this year, there will be high school and middle school races contested after the college event is completed. It is expected that over 1,000 young athletes from over 25 Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio high schools will be competing Saturday afternoon with the first race at 1:00 pm.
For any further information please contact Troy Killian (502) 587-7767 or meet director David Lawhorn at (502) 330-1933