Men’s Cross Country Set for Pre-NCAA Championships Saturday

Oct. 12, 2007

Clemson Men’s Cross Country NotesDownload Free Acrobat Reader

Clemson, SC – The men’s cross country team will continue with its tough schedule this weekend by heading to Terre Haute, IN for the Pre-Nationals event at Indiana State University. The meet will cover 8000 meters and will take place at 11:00 AM. The meet is held at the same course that will host the NCAA Championships next month.

The Tigers will compete in Saturday’s blue race, which features 14 ranked teams and two others that are receiving votes in the coaches’ poll. Clemson will go up against top-10 competition in Wisconsin (#2), Iona (#4), Oklahoma State (#6), and Alabama (#8). The Tigers will also faced ranked ACC opponents Florida State (#25) and Virginia (#29). In total, 39 schools will compete in Saturday’s blue race.

Clemson will finally have an opportunity to showcase its “A” team this weekend. Matt Clark sat out the Notre Dame Invitational two weeks ago due to a slight ankle injury. He is ready to go this weekend, however, and is a former All-Region and All-ACC performer in cross country.

Bryce Iverson is also a former All-Region and All-ACC harrier, and he finished 21st in this event a year ago with a career-best time of 24:06.5. He finished 73rd at the Notre Dame Invitational two weeks ago.

Sam Bryfczynski led the Tigers at the Notre Dame meet two weeks ago. He recorded a personal best 24:53 and helped Clemson to a 15th-place finish. Bryfczynski posted a time of 24:55 at the Pre-Nationals race in 2006.

Matt Bruce scored in his first-ever collegiate meet with a 71st-place showing at the Notre Dame Invitational. The native of Canada posted a time of 25:10 and was the team’s #2 finisher at the meet. He will be joined this weekend by fellow freshman Chad Holt, who won the Catamount Classic at Western Carolina earlier this season.

Will Noble and Brian Soder will also make the trip this weekend. Noble had his best-ever time at Notre Dame with a 25:29 mark. He finished 91st in the field of 178 runners. Soder has competed twice this season for Clemson. He had a time of 25:10 and was Clemson’s #2 scorer at Pre-Nationals two years ago.