IU head coach Ron Helmer and the Hoosiers earned a trip to the 2007 NCAA Championships |
Hoosiers Earn At-Large Berth To NCAA Cross Country Championships
Nov. 12, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana men's cross country team earned an at-large berth to the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships, the NCAA announced late Sunday, Nov. 11. IU placed fourth at the Great Lakes Regional Championship on Nov. 10.
The Hoosiers boasted six runners who finished the regional 10K race in under 32 minutes, including All-American Jordan Kyle, who finished fifth overall with a time of 30:49.51. Kyle, along with freshman Cole Hardacre (21st, 31:27.53) and redshirt junior Mark Fruin (25th, 31:38.50), each earned all-region honors for finishing among the top-25.
"I'm very happy for this group of kids," IU head coach Ron Helmer said. "They met the challenge of being at their best when it mattered most. Our regional performance was definitely the best of the season and I am happy they were rewarded with a trip to the NCAA championships as a result."
Indiana's trip to the national meet marks its first as a team since 2005. That Hoosier squad placed 29th as a team with Sean Jefferson earning All-America honors for placing 20th overall.
The Hoosiers have won the NCAA Cross Country titles on three occasions, in 1938, 1940 and 1942, and have recorded 21 top-10 finishes since 1938. Its most recent top-10 finish was in 1987 when Scott Williams paced IU with a 20th-place finish to earn All-America honors.
Last season, Kyle represented IU at the national meet and earned his first NCAA All-America honor after placing 33rd overall with at time of 31:39.3.
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The 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 19, on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Ind. The men's 10K race is slated for 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on CSTV.
