Smith Claims Sixth in Deep Wisconsin Field to Lead Cross Country

Racing in multiple timezones over the course of two days, the Harvard cross country women and men separated to race in the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, the 2016 Pre-National Invitational, hosted by Indiana State, and the Princeton Invitational. Led by senior Brandon Price and junior Courtney Smith, both the women and men’s teams performed well against tough competition.

WISCONSIN INVITATIONAL

At the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, junior Courtney Smith was the Crimson’s top finisher for the third race this season, placing an impressive sixth out of over 200 runners hailing from 17 of the top 30 schools in latest USTFCCCA National Coaches' Poll. Running in the Championship race of the Wisconsin Invitational on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course for her third year in a row, Smith recorded her best 6k finish in this race with a time of 20:09.2.

“Wisconsin is one of our most competitive meets of the season. We face top- ranked teams from all over the country,” Smith said. “It's a neat race with a lot of people on a course that was designed specifically for cross country as opposed to a golf course being used for the race.”

Also finishing in the top 100, freshmen Lisa Tertsch and Erin Dietz continued to shine in their debut season for Harvard. Tertsch finished in 57th place with a time of 21:01.8 and Dietz in 82nd with a time of 21:14.9.

The other scoring finishers in the Championship race were junior Elianna Shwayder in 103rd and freshman Judy Pendergast who finished 109th in 21:32.0. The Crimson also had several runners competing in the open race earlier that morning.

“It was really great to be able to compete with some of the fastest teams and runners in the nation and good preparation for the upcoming championship part of the season,” Smith said.

PRE-NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

In a different part of the Midwest, many Harvard men competed in the 2016 Pre-National Invitational, hosted by Indiana State at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Sixty-three men’s teams competed on the 8K course that will also serve as the site of the NCAA National Championships on November 19. Though was unable to place in the top half of teams, finishing 35th against the deep field of top Division I teams, Price was the top Ivy League finisher.

“Personally, I had a good race. The conditions made it tough, but I was able to stay relaxed and finish with a race that I could be proud of,” Price said. “I was the top Ivy League runner which is a great step towards our next race.”

Located on a reclaimed coal mine, the course conditions were challenging and the extreme humidity made breathing difficult causing quite a few runners to faint.

Out of a deep field of over 260 finishers, sophomore Kieran Tuntivate came in 138th with a time of 25:31.1. Freshman Will Battershill finished close behind him in 146th, crossing the finish in 25:36.8. Also scoring for the Crimson were junior Gabe Montague with a 26:35.3 finish and freshman Kaeo Kruse with a time of 27:22.9.

PRINCETON INVITATIONAL

Closer to home, Harvard also sent six men to the Princeton Invitational at the West Windsor Fields where this year's Ivy League Heptagonal Championships will take place. Led by sophomore Collin Price, the Crimson finished 18th overall against Ivy rivals Columbia, Penn, Princeton, and Yale as well as other top ranked teams. Both C. Price and fellow sophomore Nick Linder ran their fastest collegiate 8K finishes, finishing in 25:17.4 and 25:31.0 respectively.

Harvard is off next weekend before both men and women head to Princeton to compete in the 2016 Ivy League Heptagonal Championships on October 29th.

–Staff writer Rena Simkowitz can be reached at rsimkowitz@college.harvard.edu.