Sept. 27, 2013
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Kentucky cross country teams will get back onto the race course with a road trip to top-ranked defending men’s national champions / women’s No. 22 Oklahoma State for the 76th annual Cowboy Jamboree at the OSU Cross Country Course.
The women’s 5,000 meter race will start at 10:15 a.m. ET, and the men’s 8K will follow at 10:45 a.m.
“I would probably define our team in the preseason as ‘under construction,’ “ head coach Edrick Floreal said. “We spent most of our time developing our top-runners and integrating our freshmen. We are looking forward to the challenge that the meet this weekend will bring as we test the foundation of the house we have spent the last few months building.”
Cally Macumber is slated to race for the first time since winning two weeks ago at home in the 5K Bluegrass Invitational. For her efforts Macumber was named United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Athlete of the Week and Southeastern Conference Runner of the Week.
Macumber has won four of the nine cross country races she has entered since the start of the 2012 season. Allison Peare also showed strong form at home two weeks ago with a 5K personal best time 17:11.1 that was more than a minute faster than her season-opening finish.
The women’s field will include No. 22 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Michigan. The men’s field will feature a matchup of the nation’s top-two teams: OSU and No. 2 Northern Arizona, as well as No. 6 Tulsa and No. 28 Michigan. Defending Individual NCAA Champion Kennedy Kithuka will headline a field that also includes six 2012 All-Americans.
The UK men’s side will be led by seniors Adam Kahleifeh and Matt Hillenbrand. The former was the first Wildcat across the finish line two weeks ago, while Hillenbrand – an outdoor track All-American and SEC Indoor Mile Champion – led the way for UK at the Belmont Opener. Sophomore transfer Zack Beavin has also impressed at his first two meets as a Wildcat.
