Sept. 4, 2010
SAN FRANCISCO — Behind two outstanding individual performances from sophomores Luis Orta and Chelsea Oswald the University of Kentucky men’s and women’s cross country teams claimed runner-up finishes at the San Francisco Invitational Saturday.
The UK men, led by Orta’s individual championship, fell just short of the host University of San Francisco, by a 33 to 54 margin. Pac-10 power Cal finished third. On the women’s side, Oswald took second place in the individual race to guide the UK women to a runner-up performance.
“It was an encouraging start for both teams and we’re in good position to get better with more training,” head coach Don Weber said.
Orta came into the 2010 cross country season as the Wildcat’s top male performer and wasted no time defining his role capturing the first individual title of his career. The sophomore completed the 8-kilometer course that stretches through San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 24:52, surpassing the field by one second. The next Kentucky finisher, Walter Lutrell, ran a very good race to finish in the fifth position with a time of 25:06.
Kentucky added two top-15 finishers, junior Josh Nadzam and freshmen Stacey Eden. Nadzam finished in 13th position with a time of 25:24 making it the best 8k time of his career. Eden, in his first event as a Wildcat, had an impressive debut finishing fourth on the team and 15th overall in a time of 25:27.
Oswald finished first on the team for the fourth time in her career on the way to her runner-up performance. A native of Medina, Ohio, Oswald completed the 5k course in 17:26, behind Cal’s Chelsea Reilly who tied the course record to finish first. This was the sophomore’s third top-10 finish as a Wildcat in just six career events.
In addition to Oswald, three other Kentucky women climbed into the top-10 with freshmen Taylor Wendler atop of that list. Wendler and fellow freshmen Anna Bostrom made their presence known in their first collegiate competition finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Cally Macumber was just behind in ninth with a time of 18:11.
The Kentucky cross country teams will make their next appearance on the course Sept. 11, in New York City at the Iona Meet of Champions.
Men’s Results – 8000 meters Team Scores – 1. San Francisco 33; 2. Kentucky 54; 3. California 80; 4. Santa Clara 99; 5. Academy of Art 126; 6. Saint Mary’s 155; 7. San Joaquin Delta College 198; 8. UC Merced 231
Women’s Results – 5000 meters Team Scores – 1. California 37; 2. Kentucky 39; 3. San Francisco 49; 4. Santa Clara 110; 5. Saint Mary’s 129; 6. UC Santa Cruz 194; 7. Sonoma State 197; 8. Cumberlands 212; 9. Academy of Art 268.
