Panthers Head To Chicago For Lakefront Invitational
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (Sept. 24, 2008) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's and women's cross country teams will return to action this weekend when they head to Chicago, Ill., for the 36th Annual Sean Earl Lakefront Classic. The Panthers are one of 61 collegiate teams that will be competing at the meet. The men's collegiate race kicks off at 11 a.m. and the women's race is scheduled for 11:45. The last time UWM competed at the meet was 2006, when the women placed eighth. Milwaukee is coming off a strong showing at the Huskie Invitational, held Sept. 13 in DeKalb, Ill. Despite being in Illinois, the meet served as an unofficial Wisconsin state meet. Wisconsin topped both the men's and women's team standings in a field that featured each of the Division I teams in the state. The Panther men were second behind the Badgers, while Green Bay took third. Marquette also ran at the meet, but did not log a team score after failing to finish five runners. On the women's side, UWM was third behind UW and Marquette. Green Bay took fourth, host Northern Illinois fifth and Augustana sixth. Both squads have featured some consistency at the top, as juniors Ryan Mleziva and Abbie Zaspel have led their respective teams at each of the first two meets. The men's team has seen strong performances from its freshman class, led by Dan Uphoff. Uphoff has been the team's second scorer at the first two meets, finishing just four seconds behind Mleziva at the season-opener and six seconds back two weeks ago. Meanwhile, experience has been the key for the women, as all-league second-team runners Zaspel and senior Erin Magargee have gone one-two for Milwaukee at each of the first two meets. Seniors Danielle Magargee and Elizabeth Brothen have also scored at both meets.
Despite not competing last weekend, the Panthers still managed make the news as programs alums were the top men's and women's finishers at Al's Run in Milwaukee. Nate Weiland (2003-06), who is currently an assistant with the cross country and track programs, won the 8,000m race in 24:58, 26 seconds ahead of the second finisher. Holly Nearman (2004-07) was 48th overall, but was the top women finisher with her time of 29:45. She crossed the line nine seconds before the next female runner. She capped her cross country career after last season, but has one year of eligibility remaining for track and field. She is the reigning Horizon League Outdoor Athlete of the Year. Also running at the meet was Aaron Nodolf (1997-2000), who finished fifth overall and was the top finisher in the men's 30-34 age group. UWM returns to action in three weeks, running at the Bradley Classic, Oct. 17, in Peoria, Ill. |
