The University of Akron Athletics
Top MAC Teams to Compete in Tommy Evans Invitational
September 02 | Cross Country
AKRON, Ohio- The University of Akron men's and women's cross country teams will open the season this Saturday as they host the 42nd annual Tommy Evans Invitational at Firestone Metro Park in Akron.
This year's field will consist of runners from Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Ohio Northern, and Youngstown State. Kent State's men's team comes into the event as the team to beat as they were ranked best in the Mid-American Conference in the preseason coaches' poll. Akron's women's team should also be the class of the field as they were ranked second in the preseason poll (behind Miami).
"This is a great field of competition and I look forward to seeing how Akron stacks up against some of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference," said UA men's coach Lee LaBadie.
The men of Akron are a young, but experienced group of runners that will be lead be junior Joe McCoy and sophomores Gus Dudek and Adam Stackpole. Each competed in all six meets last fall helping Akron to a second place finish in last fall's Tommy Evans Invitational and a seventh place finish in the Mid-American Conference Championship meet.
"I look for a good performance by our young team," commented LaBadie. "I will also be interested to see how our freshmen react to their first collegiate meet of four miles."
Akron's women will look to repeat as champions of the Tommy Evans Invitational as two former individual champions will lead the way for the lady Zips. Senior Larisa Arcip, 2007's champion, and junior Kim Lorentz, 2008's champion, will be joined in the front of the pack by two time Mid-American Conference honoree Cassie Schenck. Also, looking to build off a successful track season will be senior Danielle Sidell who finished 12th in last year's Tommy Evans invitational.
"The women's team has the fortune of high aspirations for this year," said women's head coach Scott Jones. "We are an upperclassman dominated team that will look to contend for a conference championship."
"As a team we are looking forward to the Tommy Evans Invitational, not only because it is our one chance to be at home, but it will also be a chance to see MAC rivals Buffalo and Kent," stated Jones. "This meet will give our team a good way to measure ourselves as the season begins."
The Tommy Evans Invitational will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the running of the men's four-mile race followed by the women's 5K race at 12:15 p.m. An awards ceremony will follow the women's race at 1 p.m.
At the conclusion of the meet, the Akron cross country will honor seniors Larisa Arcip, Sediah Erskine, Heidi Gross, and Danielle Sidell for their contributions to the program.
Directions to Firestone Metro Park:
From the Northeast:
Take I-271 to SR 8. Go south on SR 8 past the University of Akron
campus to I-77 S.
Follow I-77 to I-277 W. Exit I-277 at Main Street.
Turn right and follow Main Street south ~1.5M to Warner Road (at this point Firestone Park will be on your left).
Turn left on Warner Road. Follow Warner ~0.5M to Harrington Road.
Turn left on Harrington Road.
Turn left into first parking lot.
From the East:
Take I-76 W. In Akron take exit 23 for I-77 S. Then follow
directions above.
From the West:
Take I-76 E. In Akron follow I-277 E. Then follow directions
above.
From the South:
Take I-77 N. In Akron follow I-277 W. Then follow directions
above.
