Northern Kentucky University Athletics

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University cross country teams travel to Kenosha, Wis., this Saturday to compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships.

A year ago, the NKU men posted a fifth-place finish at the GLVC Championships. Southern Indiana won its fifth consecutive GLVC Championships title last fall, while Drury posted a second-place finish. Bellarmine, Indianapolis and NKU rounded out the top five squads in the 11-team field.

Drury's Jaime Villa Zapatero is the two-time defending individual champion on the men's side. Zapatero edged out NKU All-American Drew Harris for the GLVC title last season.

“Our guys are currently ranked sixth in the GLVC and 10th in the region, while the ladies are ranked fourth in the GLVC and eighth in the region,” NKU head coach Steve Kruse said. “The men's side is so competitive that we could finish anywhere from second to eighth. Our ladies just need our fifth and sixth runners to do their jobs, and we could exceed our ranking. A six-kilometer race should be a positive for our women.”

NKU features sophomore Joey Mueller, who has been the Norse's top runner this season. Mueller, a graduate of Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati, could challenge for All-GLVC honors this Saturday.

The NKU women finished third at the GLVC Championships last year. NKU runners Jenna Siemer and Jerrica Maddox both placed in the top 15 to earn All-GLVC honors at the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. Siemer completed the six-kilometer course in 23:12.07 to place 12th individually and garner All-GLVC accolades for the third straight year.

Maddox posted a 15th-place finish with a time of 23:18.76 to earn All-GLVC honors for the first time. The junior from Scott High School is expected to again challenge for All-GLVC honors this Saturday.

The Southern Indiana women placed five runners in the top eight finishers to claim the team title. Mary Ballinger of Southern Indiana won the GLVC individual title last fall.