Horizon League Men's Cross Country Preview

INDIANAPOLIS--With the departure of defending champion Loyola, the 2013 Horizon League Cross Country Championships is up for grabs. The championship hosted by Youngstown State will take place on Nov. 2 at the Boardman High School Cross Country Course.

Oakland

Oakland opened up its 2013 campaign in fine fashion at home winning the Golden Grizzly Classic. This Saturday the Golden Grizzlies travel to Detroit, Mich. for the 27^th Annual Running Fit-Detroit Titan Invitational at Cass Benton Park. The race is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

Oakland is expected to be led by George O’Connor (So., Croswell, Mich.) who won the first two races of his collegiate career last season and last week’s Golden Grizzly Champion and Horizon League Runner of the Week Michael Cox (So., Pinckney, Mich.) (http://horizonleague.org/blog/detroits-coppola-oaklands-cox-win-horizon-league-cross-countrys-weekly-honors.html).

For a season preview Oakland, visit http://www.ougrizzlies.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/082913aae.html

Wright State

Wright State opened up at the Dayton Flyer 5K Challenge this past Saturday and placed sixth out of seven teams. The Raiders will compete on Friday at the Queen City Invitational in Mason, Ohio. The race is slated for 5:00 p.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

Dan Shafer (Sr., Painesville, Ohio) led the Raiders at the Dayton Flyer 5K with a time of 16:18, good for 20^th place. Shafter is expected to be the top returning Raider from last year’s team that placed fifth at the Horizon League Cross Country Championships. The Raiders also return Matt Peters (Jr., Canal Fulton, Ohio) who took 22^nd place at the League Championships.

Valparaiso

The Crusaders open their 2013 season Friday at home for the Crusader Open. The race will take place at Sunset Hills Farm County Park in Valparaiso, Ind. and will begin at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

Valparaiso has a roster that features seven freshmen and will look to seniors Matthew Przybyla (Sr., Whitemore Lake) and Michael Salguero (Sr., Ebensburg, Pa.) to lead the Crusaders. Przybyla, who took 25^th place as the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships, is expected to be the top returning runner from last year’s squad that placed sixth at the League Championships. The Crusaders also return consistent runner David Rutkowski (Jr., Cedarburg, Wis.) who placed 18^th at both the Crusader 6K Open and the Evansville 8K Open.

For a preview of the Valparaiso schedule, visit http://www.valpoathletics.com/mcc/news/2013-14/12795/crusaders-announce-2013-cross-country-schedule/

Milwaukee

Milwaukee was set to join Horizon League members Green Bay and UIC at the UIC Home Opener last Saturday in Palos Heights, Ill, but the race was postponed.  Instead, Milwaukee will open up their season next Saturday at the Falcon Invitational in Mequon, Wis. The race is slated for 11:00 a.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

The Panthers, coming of a third place finish at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships, will look to replace First Team All-League runner Jake Reilly. The Panthers have finished in the top-four all but two times since 1995. To continue that run, the Panthers will look to a trio of sophomore to lead the pack. Weston Brusky (Soph., Oconto Falls, Wis.) and Brett Johnson (Soph., Hammon, Wis.) who finished in 18^th and 29^th respectively at the Horizon League Cross Country Championships last season and Adam Schueller (Soph., Germantown, Wis.) who finished a team-best 7^th place at the Falcon Invite, are expected to lead the Panthers.

For a Milwaukee team preview, visit http://www.uwmpanthers.com/sports/m-xc/spec-rel/083013aaa.html

Green Bay

Green Bay was to open their season at the UIC Home Opener last Saturday, but the race was postponed. Instead, the Phoenix will open their season at the Badger Season Opener in Madison, Wis. this Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

The Phoenix will add four new faces to a squad that finished in eighth place at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships. Expected to lead the Phoenix are upperclassmen Alex Kimble (Sr., Green Bay, Wis. ) and Andy Sorenson (Jr., Onalaska, Wis.) who finished 34^th and 47^th respectively to lead Green Bay at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships.

For a preview of the Green Bay schedule, visit http://www.greenbayphoenix.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=110193&SPID=13701&DB_OEM_ID=22500&ATCLID=209225714

Detroit

The Titans opened their season with a second-place showing at the Golden Grizzly Open hosted by Oakland University. This Saturday the Titans host the 27^th Annual Running Fit-Detroit Titan Invitational at Cass Benton Park. The race is slated for 11:45 a.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

The Titans lost Second Team All-League performer Bob Radlich, but have five of their top seven runners back from last year’s squad that finished fourth at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships. Expected to lead the pack is Martin Nelkie (Sr., West Branch, Mich.) a Second Team All-League selection last season. Nelkie, who was the top Titan in five of seven races, placed ninth with a career-best 8K time of 25:38 at the League Championships.

For a Detroit season preview, visit http://www.detroittitans.com/news/2013/8/29/MXC_0829133808.aspx

Youngstown State

Youngstown State traveled to Pittsburg Pa. last Saturday for their season opener at the Duquesne Duals. The Penguins finished in the middle of the pack placing third out of six teams. Youngstown State is in action today at the Tommy Evans Invitational in Akron, Ohio. The race is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

Without a senior on the roster, Youngstown State will look to two runners who redshirted last season to lead the squad. One of those is Eric Rupe (Jr., Cortland, Ohio) who placed seventh to lead the Penguins at the Duquesne Duals with an 8K time of 26:29.4. The other is Austin McLean (So., West Jefferson, Ohio) who competed in all seven meets as a freshman in 2011. McLean was the second-best runner at the Duquesne Duals, placing tenth with a time of 26:42.0.

UIC

The UIC Home Opener scheduled for last Saturday was postponed; therefore, the Flames will open their season next Friday at the Illinois Intercollegiate Championships in Normal, Ill. The race is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. ET.

Team Breakdown

After a second place showing at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships, the Flames will look to replace two runners who were all-league selections. Expected to lead the Flames is Angelos Karkalis (Sr., Mount Prospect, Ill.) who placed sixth at the 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Championships and Marcus Garcia (Soph., Palatine, Ill.) who finished 11^th at the League Championships.

For a preview of the UIC schedule, visit http://www.uicflames.com/sports/m-track/spec-rel/071513aab.html

2012 Horizon League Cross Country Men’s Championship Results

Loyola                         22

UIC                             60

Milwaukee                  90

Detroit                         98

Wright State                114

Valparaiso                   176

Youngstown State      196

Green Bay                   234

Top Returning Runners from 2012 Horizon League Cross Country Men’s Championship

Place    Year    Name                           School                         Time

6          Sr.        Angelos Karkalis         UIC                             25:27

8          Sr.        Dan Shafer                  Wright State                25:36

9          Sr.        Martin Nelkie              Detroit                         25:38

11        Soph.   Marcus Garcia             UIC                             25:45

17        Soph.   Nick Gliha                   Youngstown State      26:04

18        Soph.   Weston Brusky           Milwaukee                  26:06

22        Jr.        George Holman           Detroit                         26:21

23        Jr.        Matt Peters                  Wright State                26:24

24        Soph.   Adam Schueller          Milwaukee                  26:24

26        Sr.        Matt Przybyla            Valparaiso                   26:25