Gophers have the talent to repeat 2008 performances

The teams won two titles last year. And with Hassan Mead running for the men and Megan Duwell for the women, the chances look good.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: November 1, 2009 - 1:09 AM

The Gophers' cross-country teams won two titles at the Big Ten Championships a year ago, and have a realistic chance to duplicate that feat today at University Park, Pa.

The women's team is the two-time defending champion and one of the meet favorites. On the men's side, junior Hassan Mead is the individual champion and a definite threat.

"It will be a barnburner," Minnesota women's coach Gary Wilson said. "Six of the teams are ranked in the top 30. I see a 1- to 10-point meet. I don't see anybody running away with it."

Illinois, led by Angela Bizzarri, is ranked No. 13 in the cross-country coaches association's national poll, followed by No. 15 Minnesota, No. 18 Penn State, No. 22 Michigan, No. 25 Iowa and No. 27 Michigan State.

"Seven of our nine runners have been in the battle before," Wilson said. "Only one freshman, Kayla Wagner, and one sophomore, Stephanie Price, have not. The rest all ran on the last two championship teams. Like I told the kids, 'You've taken this test before. Get in there and remember how to do it.' "

Wilson's top runner is senior Megan Duwell, who finished fourth in the conference meet last year. She was third in the pre-NCAA White race at Terre Haute, Ind., on Oct. 17, 4.2 seconds behind winner Bizzarri.

"Bizzarri has great speed, is an All-American and almost made the World Championships team," Wilson said. "But Megan will be up there and try to run with her."

Other key runners for the Gophers are Price, their second runner at the pre-NCAA meet in 43rd place, and senior Jamie Cheever, who has been bothered by a virus much of the season. She was 18th at the 2008 conference meet.

"Jamie raced last weekend," Wilson said. "She's much better and she's a veteran."

In their two biggest meets so far, the Gophers finished second at their own Griak Invitational and sixth at Terre Haute. "We learned the same thing at Griak and pre-nationals," Wilson said. "We did not go out hard enough in the first mile of the race. We had to play catch-up. We have to get out in good position to give ourselves an opportunity to win.

"Megan will be in the top two, three, four. Then there are going to be 30 kids from different schools fighting for five to 30."

Wisconsin is the 10-time defending men's champion. The Badgers are ranked No. 15, Indiana is No. 18. The Gophers were runners-up two years ago, and third last year.

"We definitely could be in the top half," men's coach Steve Plasencia said. "Our top four guys are solid."

But the Gophers are still looking for a strong fifth runner. Mead, of course, is the top runner.

"[Mead] is very fit. He has had good workouts," Plasencia said. "We've touched on tactics, and Hassan is ready for any kind of race."

The men's 8-kilometer will start at 9:45 a.m.; the women's 6-kilometer is at 10:45 a.m.

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