Northern Kentucky University Athletics

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University cross country teams will look to continue their seasons Saturday morning when they take part in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional in Louisville, Ky.

The women's team is coming off one of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship performances in team history. The men's team will look to rebound from a disappointing seventh-place finish in their race in Kenosha, Wis.

RECORD PERFORMANCES: Jerrica Maddox led the way for the women's team with a time of 22:31.4 and was closely followed by teammate Danielle Mercer's 22:35.6. The Norse finished the GLVC meet in fourth place and had five of the best six-kilometer times in program history; Maddox (fourth), Mercer (fifth), Kayla Justice (fifth; 22:40.7), Alisha Hansman (11th; 24:58.5) and Kelsey Gaffney (22nd; 24:58.5).

MADD-HATTER: Maddox, a graduate of Scott High School, has been one of head coach Steve Kruse's most consistent runners all season. In all six of the team's races this season, Maddox has completed each course as the team's highest finisher.

MUELL-ING IT OVER: Joey Mueller, a sophomore from Cincinnati, has been one of the best men's runners this season for the Norse it showed as he scurried his way to a 12th-place finish in a field of 140 runners at the GLVC meet. Mueller's time of 25:31.2 was also the sixth-fastest eight-kilometer time in NKU history for that distance. Ricky Harm (23rd; 26:24.4) and Brendan Chwalek (24th; 26:25.1) also joined Mueller on the top-25 list for eight-kilometer times following the GLVC meet.

ALL-CONFERENCE ACCOLADES: Maddox, Mercer and Justice all performed well enough to earn selections to the All-Conference team on the women's side while Mueller was the lone member of the men's team to earn such honors.

LAST TIME AT REGIONALS: Drew Harris posted a third-place finish and was the lone Norse harrier to qualify for the NCAA DII nationals as the men's team finished in ninth place. The women's team scurried their way to a sixth-place finish as three runners (Maddox, Jenna Siemer and Janice Laker) finished in the top 40.

LENGTHENING THE COURSE: While the women's competition will see no increase in distance from the GLVC Championship, the men's side will now have to complete an extra two kilometers. The addition to the course is to mirror the distance teams will run at nationals, which will also be held at the same course the Midwest Regional takes place on.

GRAND CHAMPIONS: Grand Valley State will be looking to defend both the men's and women's regional titles the easily won last season. Grand Valley amazingly won both titles by the same margin (50 points) and the men's team earned 38 points and the women's team tallied a miniscule 28 points. A perfect score in cross country is 15.