Tech cross country teams head to Louisville for Saturday meet

Hokies to compete in the first of three meets in Kentucky's largest city, including the ACC Championships in late October

September 29, 2017

BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech cross country teams return to the course Saturday morning when both squads participate in the Louisville Sports Commission Cross Country Classic held at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park.

The meet opens with the Gold Men's 8K race at 9:30 a.m., as a group of Virginia Tech runners compete with squads from 36 other schools, including top-ranked Northern Arizona and No. 7 Wisconsin. The additional Tech runners will take the course for the Blue Men's 8K race at 10:45 a.m.

The Virginia Tech men’s team, which won the Virginia Tech Alumni Invite nearly two weeks ago, enters the competition ranked No. 24 in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll. Only Syracuse and Virginia are ranked higher among ACC schools.

Seniors Daniel Jaskowak, Neil Gourley and Patrick Joseph lead the Hokies, along with underclassmen Vincent Ciattei and Peter Seufer. Gourley and Joseph are running in their first meets of the season, while Ciattei and Seufer recorded top-10 finishes at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invite.

The Tech women's squad commences its competition in Louisville with the Gold Women's 5K race at 10:15 a.m., taking on runners from 42 institutions, including No. 13 Boise State and No. 18 Wisconsin. The Blue Women's 5K race will follow up later at 11:30 a.m.

The Tech women, who won the season-opening Hokie Invite and finished third at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invite, are led by senior Katie Kennedy, who won the Hokie Invite for her first collegiate win.

Saturday’s event marks the first of three consecutive trips to Louisville for the Hokies. Tech also competes there Oct. 14 at the NCAA Pre-Nationals and then again Oct. 27 at the ACC Championships.

For updates on Virginia Tech cross country, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Track