Fighting Scots Cross Country Invitational Set for Oct. 9

The Monmouth College cross country teams will host the Fighting Scot Invitational Saturday, Oct. 9, starting at 11 a.m. at the Monmouth Country Club. The women will run a 5K race at that time, with the men’s 8K event starting at approximately 11:45 a.m.

The country club is a site change from information previously released from the college that stated the meet was at Monmouth Park. Two other items are also of note – the Fighting Scot Invitational takes the place of the Division III State Meet and, since the event is being held over Homecoming weekend, Monmouth alumni are invited to race against the other collegiate runners.

This year’s field includes eight of the 10 teams in the Midwest Conference. Those schools will get to preview the country club course that will also be the site of the MWC Meet, Saturday, Nov. 6. Only St. Norbert and Ripon will not be coming for the invitational. In addition, Western Illinois University is sending its "B" team, Quincy University is competing and Edgewood College will field a women’s team.

The meet marks the home coaching debut of former Avon High School and Monmouth College star Dan Schisler. Leading Schisler’s first MC teams are Tricia Wasson, a freshman from Woodridge, Ill., and Tony Miles, a junior from Moline, Ill. Wasson’s top 5K time is 20:38, while Miles just set a season’s best of 27:08 at last weekend’s 8K event at Mount St. Clare College.

Schisler was excited about the progress the men’s team made at that meet, especially the improvements shown by freshman David Dare and senior Jamie Nelson. Miles, Dare, Nelson and freshman Bryan Bittner make up a solid top four, and Schisler said the fifth men’s scorer should come from the group of Sam Watkins, Aaron Calder or Matt Hargleroad. Senior Ann Moody is hoping to join Wasson as a top 25 finisher for the women’s team.

Two-time defending MWC champion Grinnell was tabbed by Schisler as the favorite for the meet, but since Beloit, last year’s women’s champ, was hit hard by graduation, the Monmouth coach figures Grinnell, Knox and Carroll are the teams to beat.

"Our men’s team goal is to basically compete against Knox," Schisler said. The coach added the Prairie Fire are sitting in a mythical second place in the league behind Grinnell, and there’s a wide margin to third. Schisler would like the Scots to cut into that margin or erase it completely Saturday and then grab the second spot at the upcoming MWC Meet.

Individuals to watch include Grinnell’s John Aerni and Rob Park, the 1997 MWC champion. Last year’s men’s winner, Zac Freudenberg of Beloit, is also expected to contend. On the women’s side, Carroll’s Marni Lynn has the best 5K time this year. Grinnell’s Nicole Cueno and 1998 champion Julie Liebich of Lawrence should also challenge.