By Jacob Most

Oct. 18, 2013 –

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Kentucky cross country teams will conclude the regular season with the NCAA Pre-National Invitational, hosted by Indiana State at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course — site of the 2013 NCAA Championships.

The men’s 8,000 meter race will begin at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the women’s 6K at 11:40 a.m. UK’s women will race over 6K for the first time this season.

Fans can watch the meet live on FloTrack.com.

“This weekend’s competition will serve as a solid gauge for our team as we enter into business end of the cross country season,” head coach Edrick Floreal said. “It is imperative that our young people embrace the challenge and make themselves comfortable amidst the great many superstars that are scheduled to attend. The road gets significantly narrower and tougher beyond this point but the rewards are greater and more lasting.

“This is also a chance to preview the course that will host the NCAA Championships. A sort of a touch it, feel it and taste it segue before we get to experience the real thing. The NCAA Championship is a place where we want to compete on a yearly basis and the only way we can get there is to earn our spots, they’re not given.”

The meet features arguably the nation’s most competitive regular-season field with teams from across America descending on Terre Haute to preview the NCAA Championship course. Three of the nation’s top four men’s teams and the most recent two women’s national champions will face off with the nation’s No. 2 team.

The UK women’s team is led by Cally Macumber, who has won two races in 2013, and five of the last 11 cross country races she has entered dating back to last season. Macumber also owns the Southeastern Conference’s top 5K time this season: 16:32.11.

Macumber co-headlines a stacked field in the women’s individual competition. Nine 2012 All-Americans plus six who missed the honor by just seconds at last year’s NCAA Championships are scheduled to be in the field. Macumber and Cal Poly sophomore Laura Hollander — both of whom have already earned USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors in 2013 – are the meet’s only two returning 2012 NCAA top-10 finishers.

Allison Peare has also enjoyed a strong senior season as she owns the seventh fastest time in the SEC this season: 17:11.08.

The UK men’s team has been led in 2013 by seniors Matt Hillenbrand and Adam Kahleifeh, as the pair has taken turns as the leading Wildcat finisher during each of the three meets they’ve competed at so far in 2013.

Kahleifeh and Hillenbrand have the No. 8 and 13 respective times in the conference at 8K so far this season.

The postseason begins in two weeks with the SEC Championships hosted by Florida on Nov. 1.

                              PRE-NATIONALS