9/22/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Sept. 21, 1999
Storyline: The UNLV cross country team heads to Seattle, WA to compete in the Sundodger Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 25. The women?s 5-kilometer race will begin at 9:45 a.m. at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, Wash. Competition will include a large field of top flight teams, including Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Utah, Pacific, Eastern Washington and host Washington. The Rebels are coming off a bye week.
Recapping the Irvine Invitational: Senior Stephanie Davidson (Renton, WA/College of Southern Idaho) led the team for the second straight week, clocking a 19:02.0 and finishing 34th overall. Newcomer Jenni Nelson (Seattle, WA/Univ. of Montana) continued to look impressive with her 40th place finish in 19:09.0. Both Seattle natives look to fare well in their hometown, where they spent the summer training. Senior newcomer Wendy Murphy (San Diego, CA/Granite Hills) shaved three seconds off her personal best.
Downing Set To Return To Lineup: UNLV has been eagerly awaiting the return of senior Sharlene Downing (Las Vegas, NV/Southern Illinois) to the lineup. Downing missed the Rebels first two meets with an injury, but will return to the lineup this week. Last season, she was the Rebels? #2 runner and had the best times of all the returning athletes.
Head Coach Karen Dennis: Karen Dennis is in her eighth year overseeing the cross country and track and field program at UNLV. In 1997, she was named by USA Track and Field as the head coach for the women?s national team that will compete in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She has coached 13 All-Americans since arriving at UNLV and was the 1993 MPSF Coach of the Year.
Quoting Distance Coach Mary Shea: ?This is one of the better races in which we are going to run this season. There will be some quality competition, and we would like to use it as a gauge to see how we?ll perform in a competitive race.?
