(cyclones.com)
IOWA CITY – The No. 13 Iowa State men’s cross country team took fourth place at the NCAA Midwest Region Cross Country Championship on Friday in Iowa City. With the top two teams from each region automatically advancing to the NCAA Championships, the Cyclones remain very much in the hunt for an at-large berth. The NCAA is scheduled to announce its at-large selections on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT via press release.
Thomas Pollard was Iowa State’s lead runner throughout the day. Pollard, a redshirt freshman coming off a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 Championship, ran between the No. 27 and No. 22 spots for the bulk of the race before making his move in the final two kilometers. He moved into the top-10 late in the race and came away with an eighth-place finish in a time of 30:31.0
Senior Kevyn Hoyos also garnered a top-20 finish in Friday’s men’s 10,000-meter race. The graduate transfer from Carrollton, Texas, came on strong to close in 19th place while clocking a time of 30:45.9. Sophomore Josef Andrews was Iowa State’s third finisher and also garnered All-Midwest Region honors. Andrews, who was in 37th place with two kilometers to go, boosted his way up through the pack to finish 21st with a time of 30:48.1.
True Freshman Andrew Jordan was Iowa State’s fourth finisher. The Pataskala, Ohio native, clocked a 30:56.7 to take 28th place, just outside the top 25 needed to make the All-Region team. Junior Toby Hardwick was ISU’s final scorer, placing 44th in 31:15.1.
The Cyclone effort was rounded out by sophomores Dan Curts (46th – 31:15.9) and John Nownes (54th – 31:24.5)
Next Up
The Cyclones will await the NCAA Selection Committee’s decision for an at-large berth in the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday, Nov. 19. The NCAA is scheduled announce its 13 at-large bids this Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
Men’s 10k Team Scores:
1. Oklahoma State – 64 points
2. Tulsa – 89
3. Illinois – 113
4. Iowa State – 120
5. Bradley – 135
6. South Dakota State – 154
7. Minnesota – 205
8. Kansas – 233
9. Oklahoma – 283
10. Missouri – 333
Individual Results
1) Luke Traynow, Tulsa, 30:18.5; 8) Thomas Pollard, Iowa State, 30:31.0; 19) Kevyn Hoyos, Iowa State, 30:45.9; 21) Josef Andrews, Iowa State, 30:48.1; 28) Andrew Jordan, Iowa State, 30:56.7; 44) Toby Hardwick, Iowa State, 31:15.1; 46) Dan Curts, Iowa State, 31:15.9; 54) John Nownes, Iowa State, 31:24.5
