Parity Is The Word Saturday At Big 12 Championship

AMES, Iowa -- Big 12 Conference cross country has come full circle. Iowa State, which hosted the inaugural league race in 1996, plays host to the league championship races Saturday at the ISU Cross Country Course. The Iowa State men's team figures as a dark horse for the team title while an inexperienced Iowa State women's team that is redshirting its top two runners will try to exceed expectations. The 6,000-meter women's race is at 10 a.m. and the 8,000-meter men's race will start at 11 a.m.

The Iowa State men's team will be in the mix as one of five Big 12 teams ranked nationally on a poll of the country's coaches. There is one thing you need to know about the previous dozen Big 12 men's cross country races. Colorado won all off them. The Buffaloes are back and could very well win the race again with its overall competitive balance. But Colorado, ranked 17th nationally, is not a slam dunk choice this season.

“It's going to be a battle for the top three to four spots,” ISU head coach Corey Ihmels said. “There is more parity this year. Obviously, Colorado has won every conference title and (the Buffaloes) could still be the favorite. Oklahoma State is going to be very tough to beat. Texas and Texas A&M will be in the mix. For us to be in there we need to get our fourth and fifth runners up with our first three men. But we can be there.”

On paper, fourth-ranked Oklahoma State appears to be the team to beat. Ryan Vail, a senior who was third in last year's race, is one of several returnees for the Cowboys, a team deep enough that Vail could end up not even being the first Oklahoma State runner into the finish chute.

Texas A&M senior Shadrack Songok has not won a race this season but has produced strong performances including a third-place finish at the Chile Pepper Festival. Songok has won Big 12 track and field titles and will figure prominently in the men's race. He is a major reason the Aggies are ranked right behind Colorado at No. 18 on the national coaches poll.

Running on your own course can be a blessing or a curse. Former Des Moines Roosevelt prep Kiel Uhl is expected to lead Iowa State with help from All-American Hilary Bor. Just what kind of finish the Cyclones will get from the balance of the team will go a long toward determining whether Ihmel's team challenges for a title and betters the good fourth-place effort of 2007. Texas is ranked 30th nationally and will also be a factor Saturday.

“Kiel has the ability and experience to be in the individual battle,” Ihmels said. “He knows the course and whoever has that strong final 2k will probably win the race.”

The most prohibitive favorite at the Big 12 meet will be Texas Tech's Sally Kipeygo in the women's race. The two-time NCAA and Big 12 champion, a rival of redshirting ISU national track champion Lisa Koll, could carry her team to the title. The Lady Raiders were second behind Colorado last season, despite the championship effort of their leader, who has never lost at collegiate cross country race.

There are Big 12 challengers for team honors this season. Baylor is ranked 17th nationally and Nebraska 27th.

Ihmels elected to redshirt Koll, who is adjusting to the demands of veterinary medicine school and Grace Kemmey, another All-American who could enter graduate school this year. Koll was third last season and Kemmey fifth in the Big 12 race in Lubbock, Texas. Still, the team only managed seventh place despite its efforts. Ihmels hopes the experience the 2008 team has this fall, will pay bigger dividends when Koll and Kemmey return in 2009.

“Lisa has had a lot of ups and downs in training while facing the challenge of vet school,” Ihemls said. “We knew that would happen and it is the right move. Once we decided to redshirt Lisa and found that Grace had graduate school opportunities, it was an easy decision. We think both Lisa and Grace will be in a better position academically and athletically next season.”

Junior Paige Ties and freshman Dani Stack and Meaghan Nelson are expected to carry the flag for ISU this Saturday.

“Paige has been a great leader for us this fall,” Ihmels said. “I am really excited about Dani and Meaghan. They aren't scared and get out and run. Their progress this season has me excited about the future. As a team, it would be great to get to the first division but there is so much parity we could be ninth or 10th. If we don't get there this fall we will be much better next season.”

But for now, all eyes are on Saturday as the Big 12 comes full circle.

Players Mentioned

Lisa Koll

Lisa Koll

Meaghan Nelson

Dani Stack

Paige Ties

Paige Ties

Kiel Uhl

Kiel Uhl

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