Runners Continue Season In ChicagoOct. 1, 2003 MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's and women's cross country teams continue the 2003 season in Chicago this weekend, taking part in the annual Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational. The event, hosted by Loyola University, includes some of the top teams in the country. Along with UWM, the men's field is highlighted by Nebraska, Purdue, Loyola, UIC and DePaul. The Panther women are joined by Wisconsin, Bradley, Northwestern, Loyola, UIC and DePaul, among others, in the highly-competitive event. The 5K women's race begins at Montrose Beach in Chicago at 11:15 a.m. Saturday, with the men's 8K race starting at approximately noon. UWM has shown a lot of improvement over the first month of the season, something that has head coach Pete Corfeld excited. "I definitely feel there is something to work with this group of athletes," Corfeld said. "Both teams have really responded well to training and are improving each week. We haven't peaked yet, which is good. We are making strides against perennial league powers that should help us come November." Last week, the men finished second at the Central Collegiate Championships in Kalamazoo, while the women finished fifth. In the first month of the season, the men have been led by Josh Nygren, who finished 26th at the Great American Legends Race at Purdue and fourth last week at the Central Collegiate Championships. He was able to chop more than a full minute off of his time between the two races, jumping to 25:30.51 in Kalamazoo after running 26:35.7 at Purdue. Andy Kivioja made a similar jump recently, going from 27:21.7 and a 47th-place finish at Purdue to 25:56.60 and an eighth-place finish at the Central Collegiate Championships. Ben Uphoff (44th at Purdue, 17th at the CCC) has also consistently been in the top five for the Panthers. On the women's side, Katie Anderson has led the Panther runners, claiming a 24th-place finish at Purdue and an 11th-place finish at the Central Collegiate Championships. She shaved more than a minute off of her time of 19:49.5 at Purdue, finishing the CCC course in 18:35.00. Anna Christian, Christine Wampach and Alison Shattuck have also claimed back-to-back finishes in the Panthers' top five.
This week's meet is four weeks shy of the Horizon League Championships, which will be held this year at Youngstown State.
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