9/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Sept. 21, 2000
The UNLV cross country team continues its 2000 season this Saturday, heading to Seattle, Wash. to compete in the Sundodger Invitational. The 6-kilometer race is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Seattle's Lincoln Park, and the field will include Eastern Washington, Gonzaga, Idaho, Portland State, Simon Fraser, Texas Tech, UCLA, Washington, Washington State and UNLV.
The Rebels will use a slightly different lineup this week, with more true distance runners available to compete. The constant will the the senior tandem of Jenni Lopez (Renton, WA/Montana) and Katie Barto (Henderson, NV/Green Valley), who have finished first and second for UNLV in three of the team's last four meets, dating back to last season.
Nelson finished either first or second in the lineup in all six of UNLV's races in 1999. She finished 10th overall and ninth among collegiate runners at the Irvine Invitational last week, clocking 19:09.90.
Barto also wrote her name into the record book, claiming the Rebels' top mark in the 3,000 meters. She added a top-20 finish at Irvine, placing 17th among the collegians in 19:26.60.
Three newcomers will join the returning seniors in the lineup, highlighted by junior transfer Kelly O'Connor (Bellingham, Wash./Central Arizona College). O'Connor finished in the top 10 at the Junior College National Championships in both of the last two seasons and was a top-5 finisher nationally in distance events on the track.
Making their collegiate debuts will be true freshmen Ajia Moreno (Las Vegas/Cimarrom-Memorial) and Candace Happ-Rausch (Henderson/Green Valley). Both are local products who will supply depth to the lineup while building stamina and gaining experience.
After finishing fourth at last year's Mountain West Conference Championships, the Rebels were chosen to finish fifth this year in a preseason poll of the league's coaches. BYU, who captured the national championship last year, was picked by seven of the conference's coaches to defend its crown. The Cougars were followed by Colorado State, Air Force and San Diego State. Trailing the Rebels in fifth place in the preseason poll were Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico, respectively.
Following the Sundodger Invite, the Rebels will remain idle until Oct. 7 when they compete in the Long Beach Invitational.
