Friday, October 02, 2009

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 2, 2009) - After a two week hiatus, the ETSU men's and women's cross country teams return to action, as the Bucs head up I-75 to compete in the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday morning. The men kick things off with an 8K race at 9:30 from E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park, while the women follow shortly after with a 5K race at 10:15.

The Bucs will be part of history on Saturday morning, as the Greater Louisville Classic will have 76 teams spanning 16 states competing, making it the largest cross country meet ever contested in the south. The ETSU men's and women's squads will once again face a loaded field by going up against the Cards, Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Central Michigan and Purdue, while Louisville, Kentucky, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Purdue make up the women's field.

A year ago the Bucs finished ninth (of 33 teams) at this meet; however, Kenneth Rotich (Nairobi, Kenya) led the way with a sixth-place finish. Rotich, who has guided ETSU across the finish line in the first two meets of 2009, is coming off a top-15 finish two weeks ago at the Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Runner of the Year placed 14^th overall in the 8K race with a time of 25:37.50.  

On the women's side, junior newcomer Caitlyn Epps (Cookeville, Tenn.) continues to be the catalyst for the Lady Bucs. After transferring from the soccer field to cross country, Epps has led ETSU in both meets this season - including a first-place effort in the Irish Brigade Commemorative 5K Run.

For more information regarding Buccaneer cross country, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.