UWM Cross Country Opens Season At Bradley

Panther runners take to the course for the first time in 2002

Sept. 9, 2002

MILWAUKEE -

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Sept. 9, 2002

MILWAUKEE - The UWM cross country teams begin their seasons this weekend as they travel to Peoria, Ill., for the Bradley Invitational. The women will kick off their season with a 5K race at 5:30 p.m., while the men will run an 8K race at 6:15 p.m. The Panthers are the final Horizon League team to begin competition in the fall.

Out With The Old...
The men's team will need to reload in 2002 after seeing the top two runners from a year ago depart due to graduation. Cornelius Hill and Pat Harrington were the top two runners in every race they competed in last year. Hill also earned First Team All-Horizon League honors after finishing ninth at the league championships. On the women's side, things are brighter, as the only departure is Tricia Pozel. Though she was on the roster, Pozel did not compete for the Panthers during the cross country season in 2001.

...And In With The New
The women's team welcomes eight newcomers to the cross country roster, while the men will have six new faces. Included in the newcomers on the men's side are 2001 state cross country placers Joshua Miller (12th), Nathan Weiland (16th) and Adam Swanson (22nd), while the women's side welcomes Michelle Blomquist (24th) and Katie Anderson (34th).

Back For More
Senior Abby Hurst returns to lead the women's squad after finishing 18th overall at the Horizon League Championships a year ago. Hurst finished third at the league meet as a sophomore, and will look to return to the podium in 2002. The top returning finisher on the men's side is sophomore Steve Saul. Saul competed in four events a year ago, finishing first on the team once and third on the team behind Hill and Harrington the other three times.

Familiar Faces
The Panthers will run this weekend with several schools for the first of likely many times on the season. Horizon League rival UW-Green Bay will also compete at Bradley this weekend, while cross-town rival Marquette will also run in Peoria. The Panthers will also run against Indiana State University, host of this year's NCAA Championships and Pre-NCAA Meet on October 19.

Up Next
The Panthers will head to Detroit, Mich., to compete in the Central Collegiate Championships on Sept. 27. The men ran at the meet a year ago, finishing fourth overall. The women did not compete at the championships, running instead at the Lakefront Invitational in Chicago.