The ASU men's and women's cross country teams will move into an important part of the season Saturday when traveling to Terre Haute, Ind.
All the hard work and dedication, along with the experience of past meets, will come into play at the NCAA Pre-Nationals. The meet hosted by Indiana State, which will serve as a precursor to the National Championships, will be held at the LaVern Gibson Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center.
Expectations are high with so many quality teams slated to compete. Twenty-four of the top 30 women's teams will be on hand, while 20 of the top 30 men's squads are going to participate. A total of 189 teams will make the trip.
Last season, the Sun Devil men's and women's teams both placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Pre-Nationals. The women's squad finished in third place, while the men's team came in at the No. 9 spot.
ASU was led by Lisa Aguilera (third, 21:05) and Kelly MacDonald (seventh, 21:29). Both have graduated, but newcomers have kept the Sun Devils on the right track. The Sun Devil men's team was guided by senior Fasil Bizuneh, who finished fifth with a time of 24:25, and sophomore Juan Reyes, who clocked in at 24:53 to finish in 21st place.
After last week's ASU Invitational, the men's and women's teams have both remained in the national rankings. The women's squad resides at the No. 8 spot in the latest poll, while the men's team, which has had some ups and downs, is tabbed at No. 22.
Reach the reporter at katie.crane@asu.edu.
