NKU's Drew Harris will attempt to add to his record-breaking junior season.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. –
Drew Harris has enjoyed a record-breaking season for the Northern Kentucky University men's cross country team. This Saturday, the junior harrier will try to do something that no runner in Norse history has ever done.
Harris will attempt to finish first at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships meet, which will be held at Louisville, Ky. The 32nd annual eight-kilometer men's race begins at 10:45 a.m. at the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park. Prior to that at 10 a.m., the women's six-kilometer run will take place.
Drury's Jaime Villa Zapatero is the reigning GLVC individual men's champion and will be the toughest challenge for Harris. Zapatero, who earned All-America honors in 2008, holds the fastest time in the 8K among GLVC runners this year.
Harris is a four-time GLVC Runner of the Week this fall. Harris finished second to Zapatero at last year's GLVC Championship and currently has the second-fastest time in the GLVC this season.
Earlier this season, Harris set an NKU record in the 8K with a time of 24:34.71 at the Greater Louisville Classic. That event was also run on the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park course. Harris placed 16th overall in the event to break former NKU All-American John Lott's school-record time in the 8K.
Southern Indiana is the defending GLVC champion on both the men's and women's side. The Eagles have won four straight men's titles and five of the last six 8K races.
Southern Indiana snapped Wisconsin-Parkside's stranglehold on the women's crown last season by taking home its fourth team title. The Rangers had won the previous four titles. Southern Indiana or Wisconsin-Parkside has won every women's title since 1998.
With several regionally ranked programs in the mix in 2009, the competition in both races will be stiff. Southern Indiana's women are ranked second in the Midwest while Bellarmine, NKU and Lewis are all ranked in the top ten.
The NKU women feature a strong group that is led by seniors Jenna Siemer and Janice Laker. The Norse also received solid performance from Jerrica Maddox at the GLVC/ Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association Challenge two weeks ago at Rolla, Mo.
Siemer earned All-GLVC honors last season by placing fourth at the GLVC Championships. Laker also earned Al-GLVC accolades last fall by placing 15th at the GLVC meet. As a team, NKU finished third last fall at the GLVC Championships.
