Meet Preview: Rim Rock Collegiate Classic
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After a season-opening sweep of the Bob Timmons Classic on August 31, the Kansas men’s and women’s cross country teams return to competition this Saturday as they host the Rim Rock Collegiate Classic at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Jayhawks will welcome a total of 31 teams to Rim Rock Farm Saturday morning, October 5, to run the women’s 6K race starting at 9 a.m., while the men are scheduled to follow with their 8K at 10 a.m.
On August 31, the Jayhawk men claimed a five-point victory over runner-up Kansas City (30-35) at the Bob Timmons Classic. Senior George Letner led the way for KU, finishing in third place with his time of 19:31.9. Three Jayhawks placed among the top-10 finishers.
Following suit, the women took to the course and came away with a narrow one-point victory over UMKC, 27-28. KU sophomore Ally Ryan took home the women’s title in a time of 18:49.7 and was joined in the top-10 by three of her teammates. One of those runners, sophomore Avryl Johnson, turned in what ended up being the difference maker in the final team standings, as she placed seventh in 19:42.0.
MEET INFORMATION
| Date/Time | Saturday, October 5 at 9 a.m. (Women's 6K) and 10 a.m. (Men's 8K) |
| Location | Rim Rock Farm |
| Parking | $10 per vehicle |
KANSAS WOMEN
- This fall, the Kansas women return four of their top-seven runners from last season.
- At the 2018 edition of the Rim Rock Collegiate Classic, four Jayhawks were among the top-10 finishers, leading their team to victory. Kansas scored 26 points to top the leaderboard, followed by Kansas City (then known as UMKC) with 58 points.
- Senior Sharon Lokedi claimed the gold on her home course in a time of 19:49.4 last fall at this meet. She was followed by McKenzie Wilks in third place, Megan Paule in seventh and Riley Cooney in eighth. There were a total of 149 runners who took part in the women’s 6K last season.
KANSAS MEN
- For the men, Kansas has experience and success on its side, returning five of its top-seven runners from a season ago.
- The Kansas men totaled 27 points to claim the Rim Rock College Classic in 2018, outdistancing runner-up Kansas City (then known as UMKC), which compiled 96 points, for a difference of 69 points.
- Like the Kansas women, four of KU’s men were among the top-10 out of a field of 189 total competitors at last season’s Rim Rock Collegiate Classic. Jayhawks crossed the finish line in places two (Dylan Hodgson), four (Michael Melgares), five (Ben Butler) and 10 (Chris Melgares).
| Men's Teams | Women's Teams |
|---|---|
| Creighton | Creighton |
| Haskell | Haskell |
| Kansas Christian | |
| Kansas | Kansas |
| MCC-Longview | MCC-Longview |
| Nebraska | Nebraska |
| Nebraska Wesleyan | Nebraska Wesleyan |
| Neosho CC | Neosho CC |
| Northern Colorado | Northern Colorado |
| Oral Roberts | Oral Roberts |
| Peru State | |
| Pittsburg State | Pittsburg State |
| Rockhurst | |
| Washburn | Washburn |
| William Jewell | William Jewell |
UP NEXT
Kansas cross country will return to action at the Pre-National Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 19. The meet will take place at the LaVern Gibson Championship XC Course in Terre Haute, Indiana, at a time that has yet to be announced.
