Top-Ranked Ducks Host Third Annual Bill Dellinger Invitational
Bosworth, Todd G
http://www.goducks.com/pdf1/144088.pdf?ATCLID=1593558&SPID=238&DB_OEM_ID=500&SPSID=4337
Click on the link above for a printable flyer.
EUGENE, Ore. – Now in their fourth season under the direction of Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna, the top-ranked Oregon men’s and women’s cross country teams kick their seasons into high gear by hosting the third annual Bill Dellinger Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 4 at Springfield Country Club. The women’s race begins at 10:30 a.m., while the men’s race will go off at 11:15 a.m.
The Dellinger Invitational has become one of the nation’s premier cross country events. With ranked teams and schools from every region of the country slated to run, the 2008 edition carries on that tradition.
The men’s race will feature the defending national champion Oregon Ducks, along with four other squads ranked among the nation’s top 25. Competition should be entertaining among No. 1 Oregon, No. 5 Alabama, No. 7 Portland, No. 17 Texas-El Paso and No. 23 Cal Poly, in addition to solid teams from Colorado State, Penn State, UCLA (also receiving votes) and Weber State.
The women’s race has the top-ranked Ducks joined by No. 11 Arkansas, No. 17 Colorado State and No. 23 Brigham Young, in addition to Cal State Fullerton, Penn State (also receiving votes), Portland (also receiving votes), Texas-El Paso and Wake Forest.
Among the 2008 entrants are a number of Dellinger Invitational veterans with top-15 finishes on their resumes. Oregon All-American Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, the 2007 Pac-10 champion, has a pair of top-four finishes in his career: second in 2007 and fourth in 2006. Alabama has two runners who were third and fourth in last year’s race in Emmanuel Bor and Augustus Maiyo, respectively, while David Kinsella of Portland finished 10th in 2007. Oregon’s Daniel Mercado (T15th) and Diego Mercado (T15th) and Troy Swier of Cal Poly (13th) also ran in the top 15 last year.
The women have nearly as many top competitors back, with defending individual champion Nicole Blood of Oregon leading the way. Teammates Alexandra Kosinski (third) and Keara Sammons (ninth) had top-10 showings in 2007, while Brigham Young’s Angela Wagner was seventh and Arkansas teammates Christine Kalmer and Jillian Rosen tied for 10th. BYU’s Amy Fowler-Lane is another to watch. She was fifth in the 2006 Dellinger.
From another perspective, several cross country All-Americans are entered in Saturday’s race: Blood, Kosinski, Kiptoo-Biwott, Daniel Mercado and Diego Mercado from Oregon, Maiyo from Alabama, Kinsella from Portland and Japheth Ng’ojoy of Texas-El Paso.
THE WOMEN’S RACE
Details: 6,000 Meters (two loops)
Teams: No. 11 Arkansas, No. 22 Brigham Young, Cal State Fullerton, No. 14 Colorado State, No. 1 Oregon, Penn State, Portland, Texas-El Paso, Wake Forest
THE MEN’S RACE
Details: 8,000 Meters (three loops)
Teams: No. 5 Alabama, No. 21 Cal Poly, Colorado State, No. 1 Oregon, Penn State, No. 7 Portland, UCLA,. No. 12 Texas-El Paso, Weber State
KIDS’ FUN RUN
After the men’s race, kids 12 and under are invited to participate in a brief fun run on the Springfield Course that will conclude at the finish line. Members of the Oregon track and field team will assist with the Kids’ Fun Run that is being co-sponsored by City of Eugene Recreation. The first 25 kids who visit the City of Eugene Recreation table on Saturday will receive a free T-shirt.
AWARDS CEREMONY at 11:50 a.m.
2007 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP POSTER
A limited collector’s edition poster commemorating Oregon’s 2007 NCAA Men’s Cross Country Championship will be handed out to fans on Saturday while supplies last. The poster features All-Americans Galen Rupp and Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, among others, who led the Ducks to their first cross country national title in 30 years.
PARKING
Spectator parking is available at Mohawk Elementary School on Sunderman Road. Free shuttle buses will transport spectators to Springfield Country Club and will run continuously between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Directions to Mohawk Elementary: Take Highway 105/126 East to the 42nd Street/Marcola exit. Turn left on 42nd Street and follow that for 0.4 miles to Marcola Road. Proceed right on Marcola Road for 5.5 miles, going one mile past Springfield Country Club. Turn right on Sunderman Road and Mohawk Elementary will be on the right.
THE COURSE
The Bill Dellinger Invitational is a 2,000 meter loop. The course is laid out on the back nine holes at Springfield Country Club along the Mohawk River. Fans are reminded they are NOT allowed to walk on greens or tee boxes, and are asked to stay off fairways as much as possible. PDFs of the course maps are attached.