Aug. 29, 2001

NKU BEGINS SEASON SATURDAY

NKU cross country teams compete at Chris Jones Memorial Invitational

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University cross country teams will open the season this Saturday at the Chris Jones Memorial Invitational in Louisville, Ky. Bellarmine University will be the host of the Chris Jones Memorial Invitational, which begins with the women’s five-kilometer race at 10 a.m. The men’s eight-kilometer race follows at 10:45 a.m. A year ago, the NKU men’s cross country team posted a fifth-place finish at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships. The Norse also placed 17th at the NCAA Regional last season. NKU features junior Ryan Carskadon, who posted a pair of first-place finishes last season. Carskadon was also NKU’s top performer at the GLVC Championships with an 11th-place finish. Other key returnees include seniors Kevin Alessandro and Brian Alessandro, along with sophomores Joe Beck and Pat Sullivan. NKU also added several recruits who could contribute this season. “We had a big year in recruiting, and we doubled the size of our squad from last year and finally have some much needed depth in our ranks,” NKU head coach Steve Kruse said. “We have lots of heart on this team, and we want to continue up the GLVC ladder another rung this season.” The NKU women’s cross country team posted an eighth-place finish at the GLVC Championships last season. NKU returns sophomore Lissa Faulkner, who set a Norse women’s cross country record for time in the five-kilometer run by completing the Eastern Kentucky University Invitational in 18 minutes, 55 seconds last season. According to Kruse, sophomore Elaine Koenig had a good summer of training and will vie for the top spot on team. Junior Erin Engel, a transfer from Valparaiso, could also be one of the top runners on the team in 2001. Freshman Lori Goetz will also contribute this season as the Norse look to improve in the GLVC. “The talent is here for drastic improvement,” Kruse said. “We should move up a couple notches at the conference and regional meets.”