Oct. 26, 2011
Contact: Renee Adam
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State cross country team will return to action this weekend, as the Vikings host the 2011 Horizon League Cross Country Championship. The women's race will begin at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 29 with the men's race taking place beforehand at 11:00 a.m. Both races will take place at Squire Valleevue Farm in Gates Mills, Ohio, with the presentation of awards to follow at approximately 12:45 p.m.
The Vikings will be trying to improve on their program-best sixth place finish from last season, and will be led by the duo of Allison Craine and Kendra Kezur. Craine has paced the Vikings during all seven races this season, while Kezur has placed second for CSU at all seven meets.
Craine has twice been named the Horizon League Runner of the Week this season, first following the Ohio University Invitational (Sept. 24) where she placed fifth overall with a 6k time of 23:13 and then following the Shawnee State Invitational (Oct. 7).
The Vikings had their best team showing at the Shawnee State Invitational earlier this season, when CSU placed second with 45 team points. Three Vikings placed in the top-10 at the invite (Craine-6th, Kezur-7th, Kelly Zaleski -8th), while seven placed in the top-20 (Katie Webb -11th, Tori Holt -13th, Kari Haywood -14th, Brittany Elmlinger -18th).
Butler will be trying for its third straight league championship this weekend and its 13th over the past 16 years, while Loyola has claimed the other three during that span. A Butler runner has also been the individual champion six times over the past eight seasons.
