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Craig Houtz

Cross Country Heads to Buckeye Preview

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State cross country programs head to Columbus, Ohio for the Buckeye Preview on Saturday, September 28. The Nittany Lions travel to Ohio State for the third regular season meet of the year.

The Nittany Lions will run the same course on Saturday that will be run at the Big Ten Championship race on Sunday, November 3.

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THE FIELD

Grand Valley State, Illinois, Miami OH, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern (Women), Penn State, Rutgers, Temple (Women), Toledo, Vanderbilt (Women)

LAST TIME OUT

Penn State returns to the course following competition at the Spiked Shoe Invitational on September 13. The men's cross country claimed the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe team title for the first time since 2014. Penn State was lead by Ben Bumgarner who finished third in a time of 25:46.6. Brandon Hontz (25.49.6), Owen Wing (25:55.0), Andrew Sell (26:01.1) and Billy McDevitt (26:03.3) rounded out the scoring for the Nittany Lions. A full team effort secured the win for Penn State as Georgetown finished just four points behind the Nittany Lions.

On the women's side, Kathryn Munks won the individual title with a time of 20:42.3. Munks won the race by over 11 seconds over the second-place finisher. Munks was the fifth consecutive Nittany Lion to win the Spiked Shoe Individual title. The Nittany Lions women's cross country team finished second at the annual Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. Alison Willingmyre finished third in the event with a time of 21:03.1.

ON A NATIONAL STAGE

The Penn State women's cross country team remains ranked No. 16 in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll release Tuesday.  The Nittany Lions have appeared in all three of coaches polls this season.

The women's cross country program has been a staple in the top-25 over the past five seasons. The women's cross country team has finished in the top-20 the past four seasons. Penn State is one of eight teams that has finished in the top-20 each of the last four seasons. Penn State also remains the top team in the Mid-Atlantic region rankings.

HOME STRETCH

The Nittany Lions have completed half of their regular-season schedule. The Nittany Lions have claimed three, first place team finishes. The men's program won both the Dolan Duals and Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. Following the Ohio State Invitational, the Nittany Lions return home for the National Open on October 18 before postseason competition begins.