UKXC Set for Test at Greater Louisville Classic

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Following two weeks of rest from competition, the Kentucky cross country program will begin to ramp up the 2017 season starting Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic.

The men will cover 8,000 meters starting at 9:30 a.m. ET. The women will traverse 5k at 10:15 a.m.

Sawyer Park will be host site for the NCAA Championships the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The course hosted NCAAs in 2013 and 2015.

Both the UK men’s and women’s teams have placed second in their two previous meets this season.
 
Louisville native Jacob Thomson won the Bluegrass Invitational in his previous outing, while Katy Kunc was the champion of the women’s race two weeks ago.

For his efforts, Thomson was named USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week and Southeastern Conference Runner of the Week.

Katy Kunc earned SEC Runner of the Week honors. Kunc, a 2016 cross country All-American, won the Bluegrass Invitational for the third year in a row – breaking 17 minutes on the 5k course for the first time.

Both the Kentucky men’s and women’s teams are ranked No. 7 in the Southeast Region by the USTFCCCA.
 
Michelle McKinney has been UK’s No. 2 finisher at each meet this season. She placed sixth overall in 17:40.70 two weeks ago.
 
Daniel Southard has been the No. 2 finisher for UK at the two meets this year – behind Ben Young in the opener and Thomson at the Bluegrass Invitational.

Cross country refresher
Points are scored in cross country corresponding to finishing place. The place of each of the top five finishers on each team are added up and the team with the lowest total wins. Placers outside a team’s top five cannot score so finishers on other teams that might finish behind a team’s No. 6 or No. 7 finisher can get a point total fewer than their overall place in the race.

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