2000 Cross Country Set for GLVC Championships

		Cross Country	Women's SIUE Cross Country SIUE Athletics

Cross Country
Set For GLVC Championships
         Coach Darryl Frerker knows what he expects from his cross country teams this weekend at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships.
         And it is not a first-place finish. Realistically, Frerker knows that his teams are young and sees more personal records being set than anything.
         “Both teams are able to have good things happen,” said Frerker. “They also will gain valuable experience that will help the young squads build for better things in the future.”
         The championships take place Saturday in Evansville, Ind. The women’s 6,000-meter run begins at 10:30 a.m. with the men’s 10,000-meter run to follow at 11 a.m.
         On the women’s side, Frerker said his team’s goal is a third-place showing.
         “If we stay third like we were last year, we will have had a very successful conference outing.”
         Freshman Carrie Carducci (Powell, Ohio) has led the women’s team in all five meets this season. She set the SIUE freshmen record in the 5,000-meter run two weeks ago at the Washington University Invitational with a time of 17 minutes, 59 seconds, thirty seconds better than the previous record held by Amanda Bozue (Joliet). Carducci’s time also was the second best 5,000-meter time in school history.
         “I am looking for Carrie to be All-Conference. We need the next four ladies to be close to her in order to finish in third place.”
         As for the men, Frerker looks for them to move up the standings after a last place finish a year ago.
         “The guys are in position to climb into the upper half of the standings.”
         Sophomore Jason Olszowka (Lockport) leads the men’s squad by finishing first for the Cougars in four races this year.
         “Jason was All-Conference two years ago, and I anticipate him to be All-Conference once again. Similar to the ladies, the next four guys will have to finish close to him in order for us to climb back up the conference standings.”