Cross Country Sweeps The Bob Timmons Invitational
Sept. 3, 2005
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
The University of Kansas men’s and women’s cross country teams dominated the season-opening Bob Timmons Invitational on Saturday morning, winning both team events. The meet, which was hosted by the Jayhawks, was held at Rim Rock Farm.
The men’s team was led by individual winner Colby Wissel. The sophomore out of Elm Creek, Neb., finished the 8k race first overall with a time of 25:33.57. He was followed closely by teammates Tyler Kelly and Erik Sloan, who finished second and third overall, respectively.
The men’s squad topped the 12 team field with a score of 20 points.
“To have the first, second, and third finishers as well as the team victory on top of that is just great, especially considering the quality of the runners that we left out of the race,” said KU head coach Stanley Redwine. “I think that just shows the quality of our team.”
The women’s side beat the 10 team field with a score of 56 points. Connie Abbott led the Jayhawks with a seventh place overall finish. The sophomore out of Overland Park, Kan., finished the 5k race with a time of 19:19.36. Laura Major, Dena Seibel, and Melissa O’Rourke finished tenth, eleventh, and twelfth, respectively, to help the Jayhawks to victory. Diane Nukuri, a sophomore from Butler Country C.C., finished first overall with a time of 17:46.9.
“I was very pleasantly surprised with the women’s team and the distance between our first runner and our second runner. That’s what won the meet for us,” said Redwine. “The goal for the meet was to keep the back tight and to do well, and we did.”
For their next meet, the Jayhawks will travel to Manhattan, Kan., for the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational on Friday, Sept. 3.
