Pre-NCAA invite promises prime competition

The No. 30 women's cross country team will head to Terre Haute Saturday in what looks to be one of the biggest events of the year, the Pre-NCAA's. The 6K invite will be held at the same site as the NCAA championships on Nov. 25 and coach Judy Wilson said the event should help get the Hoosiers acquainted with the course.\n"The initial purpose of the Pre-NCAA meet was for teams to get a chance to run on the NCAA course," Wilson said. "But in the last few years, with the system that allows for 13 teams to get at-large bids to the championship, we have to go to Pre-NCAA's to get a gauge of the national competition. Our region is tough this year, with seven teams ranked among the top 30 in the country."\nThe Hoosiers know this is the point of the year where they need to turn it up a notch and junior Becky Obrecht said the team is ready.\n"This is our shot to help secure an at-large bid when it comes down to selection time for who gets to go to Nationals, so it's essential that we race competitively and with the intent of beating some of these ranked teams," Obrecht said. "We've put in the miles and physically we're capable of running with any of these teams, so if we can step up to the line and run without any hesitations, then this could be a key meet for us."\nOne key to this weekend's meet will be the performance of freshmen Jessica Gall and Lindsay Hattendorf. Junior Audrey Giesler said it normally takes a couple meets for the freshmen to become adjusted and that the time has come for big performances.\n"I'm particularly excited for the freshmen now that they've gotten a few races under their belts," Giesler said.\nWilson said he also thinks the freshmen are ready for breakout performances. \n"Jessica (Gall) has been running workouts with Mindy, Audrey and Becky," Wilson said. "Physically, there is no difference between the four of them, but this is a whole new situation for Jess, and she is learning. Once Jess commits to "race" with them, she will find herself at an entirely new level." \nWilson added that Hattendorf is ready to bounce back from a hip injury she sustained earlier in the season.\n"(She) came into the pre-season holding her own with our top four," Wilson said. "She experienced a minor setback with her hip, but she is now coming around again and I think she will be where we need her for the big meets."\nIn the Hoosiers' last 6K meet, the Roy Griak Invitational at Minnesota, the Hoosiers finished fifth overall and averaged a time of 21:56 for the race.\nThis weekend's meet kicks off at 11 a.m. at Indiana State University.