Sept. 11, 2003
The 2003 NCAA cross country season is just under way throughout the country. The University of Notre Dame is set to play host to its first of two home meets on Friday, Sept. 19, when the traditional National Catholic Championship is scheduled.
The Irish did run a tune up meet last weekend at the Valparaiso Invitational, as the women finished first (led by individual winner Jean Marinangeli) and the men took second place.
Both teams figure to return to the NCAA Championship at the end of the season, while the women’s team might have the ability to compete for the national championship. The Irish women finished third last year and welcome back all seven runners who saw action in the championship race. Led by junior Lauren King (19th, NCAA meet, 2002 BIG EAST individual champion) and Molly Huddle (sixth, NCAA meet, 2002 BIG EAST runner up), the Irish are ranked third in the FinishLynx preseason top 25. The third-place rating is by far the highest the Notre Dame women have been ranked in the preseason.
On the men’s side, Notre Dame is ranked 18th in the preseason poll and sixth in the Great Lakes region. Notre Dame’s string of top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championship was broken last season when the Irish finished 22nd at the national meet. After placing eighth in ’99, ninth in ’00 and sixth in ’01, the Irish slipped to 22nd last season when top runner and All-America candidate Todd Mobley was injured in the Pre-National race.
Mobley had to sit out the BIG EAST Championship, but returned to gut through the Great Lakes Regional and NCAA meet while not at 100%. The senior has returned this season and, along with sophomore Tim Moore (who stepped up to lead the team in Mobley’s absence) has his eyes set on returning Notre Dame to the top 10 in the nation.
The 48th annual National Catholic Invitational begins at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, with the women’s varsity race (junior varsity races will be run earlier in the day).
2003 FinishLynx NCAA Division I Women’s Cross Country Poll
1. BYU
2. Stanford
3. NOTRE DAME
4. Colorado
5. Villanova
6. Providence
7. Wake Forest
8. Georgetown
9. Columbia
10. Northern Arizona
11. North Carolina
12. Michigan
13. Michigan State
14. North Carolina State
15. Arkansas
16. Duke
17. Missouri
18. Indiana
19. Arizona State
20. Virginia
21. Penn State
22. Boston College
23. Wisconsin
24. UCLA
25. William & Mary
26. Colorado State
27. Marquette
28. Texas A&M
29. SW Missouri State
30. West Virginia
Also receiving votes: Cornell, Washington, Auburn, Baylor, Toledo, Minnesota, Dartmouth, Weber State, Yale, Kentucky, Florida State.
2003 MONDO NCAA Division I Men’s Cross Country Poll
1. Stanford
2. Wisconsin
3. Arkansas
4. Oregon
5. Northern Arizona
6. Colorado
7. Michigan
8. Central Michigan
9. Iona College
10. Eastern Michigan
10. Villanova
12. BYU
13. Georgetown
14. NC State
15. William & Mary
16. Providence
17. Indiana
18. NOTRE DAME
19. Minnesota
20. Cal Poly SLO
21. Weber State
22. Butler
23. Colorado State
24. Texas
25. Oklahoma State
26. Ohio State
26. Iowa
28. Portland
28. Michigan State
30. Montana State
Also receiving votes: SMU, Texas A&M, Dartmouth, Princeton, New Mexico, Georgia, Washington, Arizona State, Columbia, Florida, Arizona, Air Force, Miami (Ohio), Florida State, Duke, Alabama, Utah State, LaSalle