Mascari Runs To Fifth At Pre Nationals; Lucas 17th To Pace Indiana State Women

Courtesy:ISU Athletics
Release:10/18/2014
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John Gartland Comments John McNichols Comments ISU Pre National Invitational Results
KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State junior John Mascari continued to impress the cross country world with his gutty effort while senior Nicole Lucas is closing out her Indiana State career with career best efforts at nearly every stop this season. Both Sycamores had career best efforts at the Indiana State Pre National Invitational Saturday, Mascari running to fifth in the men’s blue race while Lucas was 17th in the women’s white race.

“John obviously did a great job” John McNichols, Indiana State men’s cross country coach, said. “He ran right at the front the entire throughout. I think he expected to be there and wanted to be there. He really wanted to win. That is what makes him a great athlete.”

Mascari made his move toward the front late in the race and showed a kick as he battled Colorado’s Ben Saarel, Purdue’s Matt McClintock, and Texas-El Paso’s Anthony Rotich for fourth down the home stretch. Saarel (24:15.3) was able to hold off Mascari (24:16.3) for fourth but the Sycamore was able to outrun McClintock (24:16.7) and Rotich (24:19.0) to bring home his best finish at the Pre Nationals in three years of competition.

“I really felt good right from the start,” Mascari said after the race. “I started to move up midway through and made a move in the last mile. There was some great competition out there.”

McNichols liked the idea that Mascari was able to finish with a strong kick.

“He ran right with the top pack until about the 7K mark when he made a move,” McNichols said. “There was a response by Oregon and Colorado runners and he was challenged by McClintock and Rotich but he really showed that he had a kick coming down the front stretch. That is something that I was happy to see.”

Defending NCAA champion Edward Cheserek of Oregon won the individual title in the men’s blue race (24:04.5) with Blake Theroux of Colorado second (24:06.1), and Eric Jenkins of Oregon third (24:09.4).

Colorado dominated in taking the team title with 38 points. Oregon was second (88) followed by Georgetown (143), Furman (257), and Colorado State tied with Tulsa (267) in the top five. Texas was seventh (324) followed by Mississippi (358), Penn State (358), Cornell (395), UC-Santa Barbara (398), Eastern Michigan (406), North Carolina State (449), Missouri (457), Yale (460), Louisville (462), Washington State (475), Air Force (515), Iowa (515), and Bradley (554).

Indiana State finished 21st with 575 points. The Sycamores were followed by Texas-Arlington (616), IUPUI (621), California (641), Texas-El Paso (659), Akron (689), North Texas (698), Southern Illinois (707), Lehigh (708), Purdue (722), Wichita State (726), Wyoming (777), Kansas (784), Southern Utah (804), Liberty (848), Butler (892), Ohio State (897), Baylor (967), Montana State (981), Ohio (1026), Duke (1033), Houston (1109), LaSalle (1116),M liPSCOMB (1162), Central Arkansas (1183), and Texas Tech (1213).

Taylor Head was the second Sycamore to finish as he was 98th (25:26.9) with Tristan Selby 108th (25:30.9), Levi Taylor 138th (25:42.7), David Timlin 226th (26:21.6), Andrew Kump 266th (26:46.4), and Bryan Horsman 277th (26:54.9).

Lucas was within a second of her career best time for a 6K as she finished 17th in the women’s white race with a time of 22:08. Her personal best came in 2012 when she ran 24:07 in the Great Lakes Region Championships.

“Nicole did a great job for us today,” John Gartland, Indiana State women’s coach, said. “She finished in the top 20 of a very tough field in a good competition. She really got out in the flow, gained a few spots and lost a few but really did a nice job. She is right on progress to be an all-conference runner when we go to the conference meet in two weeks at Southern Illinois.”

UMKC’s Courtney Frerichs dominated the race from the 3K mark on and led the field into the finish chute with a time of 20:55.5. Abby Regan of Washington State was second (21:31.3) with Annemarie Schwanz of Fresno State third (21:36.0), Sarah Reiter of Eastern Washington fourth (21:42.0), and Sharlene Nickle of Texas Tech fifth (21:46.7).

“The other kids struggled and suffered a little bit,” Gartland said. “Taylor Austin was sick, actually very sick in the chute, but finished the race. Jessi (Conley) we had hoped to finish a little bit higher and Sydney (Dickerson) actually did a great job. We still haven’t bridged the gap from having great practices to having great meets but we have two weeks to practice on that.”

Washington State won the team title with 143 points. Southern Illinois captured second (182) with Iowa third (246), Louisville fourth (250), and Texas Tech fifth (251). Eastern Washington led the second five (252) followed by Bowling Green (262), Central Michigan (328), Southern Utah (344), and Loyola-Chicago (348). The next team is led by James Madison (359) followed by UMKC (406), Fresno State (412), Northern Colorado (421), UC-Santa Barbara (423), Indiana (427), Air Force (428), Western Kentucky (460), and Drake (462).

Indiana State finished 20th with 475 points. The Sycamores finished ahead of Kent State (485), Xavier-Ohio (485), Youngstown State (516), Ohio (524), Liberty (534), Memphis (544), Houston (554), Akron (636), IPFW (736), UNC-Greensboro (746), Texas-El Paso (782), Central Arkansas (787), and Cincinnati (836).

Austin was the second Sycamore to finish as she came cross in 77th (23:11.4) with Dickerson 106th (23:31.9), Conley 137th (23:54.3), Natalie Nolting 147th (24:03.3), Danielle Muse 154th (24:11.5), and Victoria Collins 192nd (25:14.7).

Three Sycamore women ran in the Open 6K race with Aleksey Green placed 76th (25:55.2), Amy Hicks 83rd (24:37.3), and Emily Hamon 90th (26:13.1).

Two Sycamores competed in the men’s 8K open race with Logan Hambrock finishing 23rd (26:30.2) and Daniel Swem 31st (26:41.3).

Baylor’s Rachel Johnson won the women’s blue race (20:21.1) with Princeton’s Megan Curham second (20:36.4), and Georgetown’s Katrina Coogan third (20:37.7). Coogan led the Hoyas to an upset win for the team title as Georgetown scored 110 points. Oregon was second with 139 while top ranked Michigan was third with 143 points.

Elon’s Luis Vargas dominated down the stretch to win the men’s white race (24:20.3) with Loyola-Chicago’s Sam Penzenstadler second (24:38.0) and San Francisco’s Eric Causey third (24:52.5). Indiana won the team title with 164 points as they edged Drake who was second with 170. Loyola-Chicago was third with 171 points.