By Dan Lau, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's and women's cross-country teams opened their season with the 6k and 8k Alumni Meet this Saturday at the Eau Claire City Wells. The men's alumni team won the 8k meet with 18 points while the current Blugold men posted 37 points. The current women's team won the 6k meet with 15 points and the top 7 finishers.
The runners were met with wet and muddy conditions and temperatures in the high 50's. The Blugold men and women used this race as an opportunity to do a tempo workout in packs.
For the men, Sam Verkerke (Jr.- White Bear Lake, MN) led the Blugolds with a 5th place finish and a time of 26:40.0. Coming in 6th and 7th respectively were Mason Shea (Jr.- River Falls, WI) in 26:41.0 and Tyler Osen (Sr.- Lakeville, MN/North) in 26:46.0.
Dan Lau (Sr.- Eau Claire, WI/Immanuel Lutheran) was the fourth Blugold to cross the line in 9th place in a time of 27:22.0. Just behind him was teammate, Jesse Peterson (So.- St. Paul, MN/Highland Park) in 10th place with a 27:22.0.
Alum Matt Cooper took 1st overall with a time of 24:32.0. Rounding out the top three were Christian Leitner in 2nd with a time of 25:47.0 and Riley Huffman in 3rd also with a time of 25:47.0.
For the women, Keeley Behr (Aurora, IL/Metea Valley) ran the fastest time in the 6k and took first place in her first collegiate race. Behr finished the race with a mark of 24:19 and Carolyn Shult (Sr. - Augusta, WI) kept things close with a second-place finish at 24:20. Naomi Long (Sr. - Medina, MN/Wayzata) and Ashley Kachurik (Sr. - Wadsworth, IL) finished 3rd and 4th with identical finish times of 24:21. Coming in at 5th, 6th, and 7th respectively was Katie Faris (Sr. - Chippewa Falls, WI), Julia Karls (Sr. - St. Cloud, MN/Apollo), and Allison Weissinger (So. - River Falls, WI).
On the men's team's performance at Alumni, assistant coach Jace Bartz, said, "I think this race went very well. It was a good workout that will set them up for some tough competition at St. Olaf next week."
The Blugold teams are set to race at St. Olaf in Northfield, MN on Saturday, September 17. The men are scheduled to begin at 11AM and the women at 10AM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
