Gearing Up for Notre Dame Invite

After a week break from competition, the Eastern cross country team looks to have another impressive showing at Friday's Notre Dame Invite in South Bend, Ind.

This will be the Panthers first time returning to the Notre Dame Invite since 2008, where the men's team took 14th out of 24 teams and the women took 21st out of 24.

Both squads are looking for better results this time around.
The event will take place on the nine-hole golf course located on the University of Notre Dame campus.

Eastern will be competing in the Gold Division of the event.
The Gold Division features 16 teams in the men's division and 19 teams in the women's division.

Some competing schools include: Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, North Central College, Valparaiso, Wabash, Youngstown State, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Indiana State, Fresno State, Northern Illinois, Oakland, West Virginia, and Western Michigan.
Eastern is the only competing team from the Ohio Valley Conference.

Eastern head coach Erin Howarth will only be bringing some of her top runners to this event.

Seniors Matt Feldhake, Jason Springer and Matt Detloff, juniors Connor Kustief and Brad LaRocque, sophomore Graham Morris, freshmen Danny Delaney and Ryan Ballard, and redshirt-senior Wes Sheldon will be competing for the men's side.
Feldhake won the EIU Panther Open early this season.
On the women's side, most of the team will be competing in the event.

Ballard said he thinks the team will do pretty well.
"We're pretty well rested for this meet and there's going to be a lot of competition there, so we're looking forward to it," Ballard said.

Personally, Ballard said he looks to run well and hopefully record his fastest time of the year.

Being a freshman, Ballard said he feels no pressure, even on a big stage like the Notre Dame Invite.

"I know my teammates will be there to pick me up if I start to run bad or anything," Ballard said. "I've just got to go out there and run. Whatever happens happens."

Ballard said he feels well prepared for this meet after the off week of practice and after this week's practice.

"This Tuesday we had an easier workout to stay ready for the meet on Friday and yesterday we all had a day off, just to stay fresh for the meet," Ballard said.

Harms said she is excited about the race and that everyone on the team has been doing great in practice.

Harms said she probably puts more pressure on herself than anyone else, but is still confident in her abilities, even as a freshman, to perform well for her team.

After competing in the Notre Dame Invite Friday, the Panthers continue their season in Peoria for the Bradley Invite on Oct. 15.
The Bradley Invite will be the last meet for the Panthers before the Ohio Valley Conference Championships and the NCAA Regionals.

Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944
or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu