Saturday, October 15
Terre Haute, IND.
Murray State
at
Indiana State
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/ Men's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
Photo by: Jim Sullivan
Racers' Korir Breaks MSU 6K Record At Pre-Nationals
10/15/2016 1:42:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
The Murray State men's and women's cross country teams competed in the 2016 Pre-National Invitational, presented by adidas and the Terre Haute Convention & Visitor's Bureau.
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One of the biggest gatherings of cross country teams from all over the country, the meet featured six races on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
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Murray State junior Vallery Korir (Pronounced like career) broke the school record in the 6K when she posted a time of 21:24 to place eighth in a field of 285 runners. Korir, who also set a new 5K record this fall at MSU, bested the time of MSU's Abbie Ashbee-Simmonds who had a time of 21:35 in 2012 in Charlotte, N.C. at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
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Freshman Mason Swenson moved into seventh place all-time at MSU in the 6K with a time of 22:25. This was good for a 57th place finish.
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The Racers as a team placed 11th in a field of 25 teams, ahead of Indiana and just behind Texas.
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In the men's 8K event, Racer senior Mark Ventura posted a time of 26:01 to place 53rd in a field of 134 runners, while Zach Balleau was 78th with a time of 26:27.
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The Racers also had runners in the open 6K races.
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Caroline Grogan led the Racers with a spot in 63rd place with a time of 23:59 to lead the Racers, while Austin Ackman led the men's squad with a time of 28:27 and a spot in 61st place.
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Quotes from Murray State head coach Jenny Swieton
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"The races here went really well for the most part," Swieton said. "The course here at Indiana State is much tougher than any we have run this fall and the competition was tough. This was the first 6K distance for our women's team this season and it was the first ever for most of them. Val (Korir) broke the school record and all the other girls ran tough and Ida (Mutai) had a break out race and really closed the gap between her and Bekah (Priddy)."
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"The men raced tough as well and Gavin Galanes was unable to finish," Swieton added. "That hurt us a little, but the other guys really put themselves out there. I'm very proud of the effort everyone gave."
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"I'm very proud of Val, she went out with the front group from the start and fought the whole way," Switon said. "She broke the school record in her first 6K on a very tough course. This was great preparation for the NCAA regionals."
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2016 Pre-National Invitational
LaVern Gibson Championship Course
Terre Haute, Ind.
Oct. 15, 2016
---
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Women's 8k White Race
Murray State Finishes
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
8 Vallery KORIR (SO) 882 MURRAY 7 21:24.8 0:36.3
57 Mason SWENSON (FR) 887 MURRAY 56 22:25.9 1:37.4
67 Meagan SMITH (JR) 886 MURRAY 66 22:35.8 1:47.3
80 Rebekah PRIDDY (SO) 885 MURRAY 79 22:48.8 2:00.3
91 Ida MUTAI (SO) 883 MURRAY 90 22:58.6 2:10.1
120 Ali HESTER (SR) 881 MURRAY (119) 23:22.5 2:34.0
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Men's 8k White Race
Murray State Finishes
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
53 Mark VENTURA (JR) 895 MURRAY 52 26:01.2 1:24.7
78 Zach BALLEAU (FR) 889 MURRAY 77 26:27.5 1:51.0
110 Evan STAVISKI (SR) 893 MURRAY 109 27:04.2 2:27.7
114 Vince TURNER (SO) 894 MURRAY 113 27:08.5 2:32.0
133 Zan McCelland (FR) 892 MURRAY 132 29:26.4 4:49.9
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Women's Open 6K Race
Murray State Results
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
63 Caroline GROGAN (JR) 880 MURRAY - 23:59.6 2:27.2
82 Maura FARRELL (FR) 878 MURRAY - 24:33.6 3:01.2
86 Emily FLAHERTY (JR) 879 MURRAY - 24:50.0 3:17.6
100 Amanda PARKER 884 MURRAY - 26:30.8 4:58.4
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Men's Open 6K Race
Murray State Results
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
61 Austin ACKMAN (SO) 888 MURRAY - 28:27.0 3:03.7
70 Tyler BRADLEY (FR) 890 MURRAY - 29:56.8 4:33.5
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One of the biggest gatherings of cross country teams from all over the country, the meet featured six races on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Â
Murray State junior Vallery Korir (Pronounced like career) broke the school record in the 6K when she posted a time of 21:24 to place eighth in a field of 285 runners. Korir, who also set a new 5K record this fall at MSU, bested the time of MSU's Abbie Ashbee-Simmonds who had a time of 21:35 in 2012 in Charlotte, N.C. at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Â
Freshman Mason Swenson moved into seventh place all-time at MSU in the 6K with a time of 22:25. This was good for a 57th place finish.
Â
The Racers as a team placed 11th in a field of 25 teams, ahead of Indiana and just behind Texas.
Â
In the men's 8K event, Racer senior Mark Ventura posted a time of 26:01 to place 53rd in a field of 134 runners, while Zach Balleau was 78th with a time of 26:27.
Â
The Racers also had runners in the open 6K races.
Â
Caroline Grogan led the Racers with a spot in 63rd place with a time of 23:59 to lead the Racers, while Austin Ackman led the men's squad with a time of 28:27 and a spot in 61st place.
Â
Quotes from Murray State head coach Jenny Swieton
Â
"The races here went really well for the most part," Swieton said. "The course here at Indiana State is much tougher than any we have run this fall and the competition was tough. This was the first 6K distance for our women's team this season and it was the first ever for most of them. Val (Korir) broke the school record and all the other girls ran tough and Ida (Mutai) had a break out race and really closed the gap between her and Bekah (Priddy)."
Â
"The men raced tough as well and Gavin Galanes was unable to finish," Swieton added. "That hurt us a little, but the other guys really put themselves out there. I'm very proud of the effort everyone gave."
Â
"I'm very proud of Val, she went out with the front group from the start and fought the whole way," Switon said. "She broke the school record in her first 6K on a very tough course. This was great preparation for the NCAA regionals."
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2016 Pre-National Invitational
LaVern Gibson Championship Course
Terre Haute, Ind.
Oct. 15, 2016
---
Â
Women's 8k White Race
Murray State Finishes
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
8 Vallery KORIR (SO) 882 MURRAY 7 21:24.8 0:36.3
57 Mason SWENSON (FR) 887 MURRAY 56 22:25.9 1:37.4
67 Meagan SMITH (JR) 886 MURRAY 66 22:35.8 1:47.3
80 Rebekah PRIDDY (SO) 885 MURRAY 79 22:48.8 2:00.3
91 Ida MUTAI (SO) 883 MURRAY 90 22:58.6 2:10.1
120 Ali HESTER (SR) 881 MURRAY (119) 23:22.5 2:34.0
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Men's 8k White Race
Murray State Finishes
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
53 Mark VENTURA (JR) 895 MURRAY 52 26:01.2 1:24.7
78 Zach BALLEAU (FR) 889 MURRAY 77 26:27.5 1:51.0
110 Evan STAVISKI (SR) 893 MURRAY 109 27:04.2 2:27.7
114 Vince TURNER (SO) 894 MURRAY 113 27:08.5 2:32.0
133 Zan McCelland (FR) 892 MURRAY 132 29:26.4 4:49.9
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Women's Open 6K Race
Murray State Results
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
63 Caroline GROGAN (JR) 880 MURRAY - 23:59.6 2:27.2
82 Maura FARRELL (FR) 878 MURRAY - 24:33.6 3:01.2
86 Emily FLAHERTY (JR) 879 MURRAY - 24:50.0 3:17.6
100 Amanda PARKER 884 MURRAY - 26:30.8 4:58.4
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Men's Open 6K Race
Murray State Results
(Finish, Name, Class, Runner #, School, Total time, Gap)
61 Austin ACKMAN (SO) 888 MURRAY - 28:27.0 3:03.7
70 Tyler BRADLEY (FR) 890 MURRAY - 29:56.8 4:33.5
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