SDSU Invitational This Weekend

A few members of the Cyclone cross country team will travel to South Dakota State University this weekend for the SDSU Classic. Representing Iowa State this weekend will be Brandon Rooney, John Ricardi, Jon Reis, Kyle Rasmussen, and Kevin Born. While the harriers are leaving on Friday for the trip, they will compete on Saturday, September 30 at the Edgebrook Golf Course. Check back here tomorrow for results.

Guor Majak Featured In Iowa State Daily

Iowa State Cyclone cross country runner Guor Majak was featured today in an article in the Iowa State Daily. Guor has had very different experiences than alot of members on the team, being a refugee from Sudan in 2001, but those tough times have created the caliber of person that he is today. Much of the Guor's life is chronicaled in this very well written article. Included are comments on his time in Sudan as well as insights from one of his host parents that he lives with now, Anne Marie Samuels. The article can be found by going to this website.

Pictures From Griak

Pictures of Kile Uhl, Guor Majak, Ricky Reusser, Dan Taylor, Jory Zunich, Brandon Rooney, Jayden Russ, and David Rotich at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis.

Cyclone Men Ranked for First Time Since 1998

The Cyclone Men's cross country team has been ranked in the top 30 teams in the country for the first time since 1998, according to the USTFCCCA (United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association). Unranked in preseason polls, the team is now ranked 21st after their showing at the Roy Griak Invitational. Out of the 30 teams, they are one of four Big 12 Conference teams to be ranked this week. This accomplishment is a testiment to the hard work that the team put in throughout the summer and the last few years. While it is a milestone and a check point for the members of the team, it is not the end of the road or the goal and there is still a lot of work left to be done to reach where the team wants to be at the end of the year. A few members of the team will compete this weekend at the South Dakota State Invitational and the entire team will be back in action again on October 14th at the Pre-National meet at Indiana State in Terre Haute, Indiana. To view the poll check out http://ustfccca.cstv.com/

Cyclones Make Big Improvements at Roy Griak

The Iowa State cross country team had many goals in mind going into the Roy Griak Invitational, both individually and teamwise. Those goals became a reality Saturday when running in almost perfect cross country weather over the muddy course of Les Bolsted Golf Course. This was not last year's team that finished 16th though. This was a team that was lead up front by a 7th place contribution of Kiel Uhl, followed by Guor Majak and Ricky Reusser. A close pack followed behind those three to round out the top seven and bring the Cyclones to a big improvement and a 5th place finish behind only Arizona, Minnesota, Virginia, and Arizona State. For results, click here. Pictures to come later this week.

Iowa State Travels To Minnesota for Roy Griak Invite

The Iowa State cross country team will travel to the Roy Griak
Invitational at the Universtiy of Minnesota for their first team scored meet of the season this Saturday starting at 11:20 a.m. The men will compete in the men's gold race over an 8000 meter course on the rolling grass terain of Les Bolstad Golf Course. While there are eight other races duing the meet that include teams from all NCAA divisions as well as high school teams, the gold race is comprised of only Division 1 teams. Taking part in one of the largest meets of the year, Iowa State will get a real test and be able to see where they really stand after this meet since there will be at least 10 teams in the race who are ranked or have received national ranking votes. Information on the meet and the teams attending can be found here.

Boldon 15th at 2006 USA 5K National Championship

Volunteer Assistant Blake Boldon competed over the weekend at the CVS/pharmacy Downtown 5K located in Providence, Rhode Island. For a couple years now, the race has also served as the site of the US 5K Championships. Among the elite competitors and field of over 3,000 runners, Blake finished 15th with a time of 14:22. Results and information on the race can be found at http://www.cvsdowntown5k.com/

Iowa State Track Alum Flies Over Iowa-Iowa State Game

A long standing ritual done at the Iowa-Iowa State games continued this weekend as the game was kicked off when four Iowa Air National Guard F-16 fighter jets flew over. What makes this special is that each of the pilots of the jets were Iowa State graduates. Piloting the four jets who flew 1,000 feet above the stadium traveling at a speed of 400 mph were Major Brian Egger (‘88, Aerospace Engineering), Captain Jeremy Rhyan (‘98 Aerospace Engineering), Lieutenant Colonel Jim Fredregill (‘91, Management Information Systems) and Captain Tom Dunham (‘94, Pre-Veterinary Medicine). Although all the Alums had a special allegiance to the college, among them Captain Tom Durham has an even greater alliance with Iowa State Athletics. Tom, a native of Melbourne, IA, was an ISU Letterwinner in Track & Field. He jumped 6-10 3/4 in the high jump and placed 3rd in the Big 8 high jump. During his time in school, he always wanted to be a fighter pilot and actually took a job as a "bush pilot" in Alaska to get enough flight hours to be considered for the program. In his nine year career in the Air National Guard, he has done tour of duties in Saudi Arabia and Iraq and flown cover over New York City after 9/11. This honor though may be one of his most exciting because to Durham, "Personally, this is something I always wanted to do. I have been to many Iowa State-Iowa games and marveled at the fly overs. This is the Super Bowl of Iowa and everyone in the state is watching. We are honored to get the invitation and it is a great way for us to get involved into the spirit of this outstanding event.”

ISU Open Video

If you could not make it to the ISU open and are curious about the look of this years team or if you could simply not get enough of the sights and sounds of the ISU Open, Ricky Reusser's father taped the race at a few different spots. The tape offers a great glimpse at the meet and of everyone who competed. Click here to play the video.

Cyclones Compete Well at Home

In weather that was much different than what the Iowa State Open has seen in the past, the Iowa State cross country team competed very well. The chilly and misty morning provided almost perfect weather for the competition as the team tackled the new 8000 meter course against South Dakota, North Dakota State University, Drake, Morningside, and Northern Iowa Community College. Leading the pack was Kiel Uhl with a time of 24:58, who was followed closely by Guor Majak and David Rotich. While no team scores were kept, complete individual results can be found here. An article with comments from Coach Ihmels and Kiel Uhl on the meet can also be found here. More pictures of the meet are to come.

Iowa State Open This Weekend

Iowa State will be hosting a home meet this weekend at the Iowa State cross country course in Ames. Come out and watch or compete. A fun run will kick the event off at 9:30 am, followed by the women's race at 10:00 and the men's race at 10:30. It will be the first chance for the men to get a chance to race 8000 meters. Although no team scoring will take place, teams competing will be South Dakota, North Dakota State University, Drake, Morningside, and Northern Iowa Community College, along with Iowa State.

Guor Majak and Iowa State Team Give Tasty Tacos Two Thumbs Up

Michelle and Corey Ihmels got to share a favorite of theirs with the members of the cross country team on Friday night after the Bulldog Classic. The team met at Tasty Tacos in East Des Moines for a post race meal. The restaurant was busy, but the wait was worth it since the tacos were so tasty. For many of the members of the team, it was their first time eating at Tasty Tacos, but for Guor Majak, it was his first time ever even eating tacos. It will definately be a team favorite to stop at every time we are in Des Moines.

Iowa State Opens Season at Bulldog Classic

Iowa State opened their season this weekend at the Bulldog Classic. The meet, hosted by Drake University at Ewing Park in Des Moines, was a great opener for alot of guys and a chance to get into real competition after a summer of training. While there were no team scores kept in the meet which featured both Drake and Northern Iowa, results from the 4,000 meter course can be found at http://www.drakebulldogs.org/crosscountry/newsstory.php?nid=1157156205

More on the meet and pictures are soon to come.

Cross Country Team Opens Season Tonight

The cross country team will travel to Drake University tonight for their first matchup of the season. The cyclones will face off against the University of Northern Iowa and Drake over a 4000 meter course in their opening competition. Check back for results.