CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State cross country team will try to continue it's most successful season in recent history this weekend, traveling to Rochester, Michigan for the 2017 Horizon League Championship. This year's championship will be hosted by Oakland, with the women's 6K race slated for a 12:00 p.m. start on Saturday, October 28.
HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Oakland University Golf Course
429 Golf View Lane | Rochester, Mich. | 48309
The Field
Cleveland State is part of a 10-team field for the Horizon League Championship, and will be starting in Box 5 on Saturday. A Complete list of teams and box assignments is below:
1. Detroit Mercy
2. Milwaukee
3. Youngstown State
4. Wright State
5. Cleveland State
6. IUPUI
7. Northern Kentucky
8. UIC
9. Green Bay
10. Oakland
Best #HLXC Championship Finish Under Jaketic
Cleveland State's best Horizon League Championship finish under head coach Joe Jaketic came during the 2011 season, when the Vikings finished fourth as a team. Cleveland State posted four top-40 finishes at the 5K championship, paced by Allison Craine (2007-11) who finished 16th individually.
Barrientos Trying For Second All-League Honor
Senior Karen Barrientos will be trying to earn All-Horizon League honors for the second time in her career this weekend, needing a top-14 finish on Saturday to achieve the feat. Barrientos, who became the first Viking to earn All-Horizon League First Team accolades as a junior last season, is just the second Viking to earn all-league accolades under head coach Joe Jaketic (Ashlyn Woods, Second Team, 2014).
…Barrientos Saving Her Best For Last
Senior Karen Barrientos enters this year's #HLXC championship as one of the best runners to ever compete in a Viking uniform, owning Cleveland State records on both the 5K (17:59) and 6K (22:10) courses. Barrientos' personal-best time of 17:59 came at the Jenna Strong Fall Classic last time out, as she became the first Viking ever to break the 18-minute mark on the 5K course. The time also marked one of the top-five fastest times at the Jenna Strong Fall Classic over the last five years.
Vikings Have Strong Front Group
Through seven races so far this season, the trio of Karen Barrientos, Anna Brandt and Jessica Finley has been the top-three finishers for Cleveland State – averaging a 5K time of 18:48 and a 6K mark of 22:24. This trio has been able to finish in the top-10 individually during three races this season (Friendship Invitational, LHU Invitational, Jenna Strong Fall Classic), while they have finished in the top-20 on three other occasions (Duquesne Duals, Tommy Evans Invitational, Disney Cross Country Classic).
2017 RACE-BY-RACE RESULTS | ALL-TIME TOP PERFORMANCES
Rewriting The CSU Top Performances List
Throughout the 2017 season the Vikings have been continually rewriting the CSU Top Performances List, as three Vikings have recorded 18 top-50 5K times and six Vikings have recorded 11 top-50 6K times. Karen Barrientos owns both top times of the season, with a CSU Record 5K time of 17:59 and a 6K time of 22:14 that ranks second.
Vikings Pick Up Two Team Titles
The 2017 campaign has proved to be one of the most successful under head coach Joe Jaketic, as the Vikings have captured two team titles and two runner-up finishes through five scored events this season. Cleveland State's team titles came at the Lock Haven Invitational and the Jenna Strong Fall Classic, while the Vikings picked up second place finishes at the Friendship Invitational and the Disney Cross Country Classic.
Brandt Among #HLXC Rookies
Entering the Horizon League Championship, Anna Brandt leads all Horizon League freshmen averaging a 5K time of 18:43 and a 6K time of 22:22 this season. Brandt's career-best times of 18:25 (5K) and 22:20 (6K) are tops in the league this season, while they also marked Cleveland State Freshman Class Records. Brandt has been one of Cleveland State's top-two finishers in every race this season, while she has notched five top-10 overall individual finishes.
