Oct. 10, 2012

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's and women's cross country teams return to action this weekend heading to Peoria, Ill. for the ninth annual Bradley Classic hosted by Bradley University at the Newman Golf Course.

This is the final regular-season race for the Panthers before hosting the Horizon League Championships Saturday Oct. 27.

Friday's action starts with the men's 8K at 4 p.m. followed by the women's 6K scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

SCOUTING THE MEET
This year marks the fifth-consecutive season the Panthers have made the trip to Peoria for the annual Bradley Classic. Historically, Milwaukee has typically done well at this race over the years, with a handful of standout performances along the way.

Just last year, Jake Reilly finished fourth overall on the men's side out of 188 competitors to lead the team to an eighth-place finish. Two years ago, Milwaukee had a runner win the race on the women's side by more than 10 seconds to lead the team.

As a team, the Panthers have traditionally finished well at this race, as well. The men's team has finished in the top-10 all but once, highlighted by a third-place showing in 2009.

The women have also posted two top-10 finishes in the past four years, including in 2008 when two Milwaukee runners finished in the top 14 to help the team to seventh.

LAST TIME OUT
UWM was at a brand new meet two weeks ago, running at the very large Louisville Classic. Jake Reilly stole the headlines, taking fourth overall out of more than 350 competitors on the men's side.

On the women's side, five Panthers posted personal-best times and put together another strong team effort in building toward the Horizon League Championships.

Junior Sammy Woller led the way for the women with a season-best time of 19:07.34 to take 79th overall on the 5,000-meter course.

LEAGUE NOTICE
For the second time this season, senior Jake Reilly was named Horizon League Men's Runner of the Week after his last race.

Reilly won the award after taking an outstanding fourth overall and third among collegiate student-athletes out of more than 350 competitors at the Louisville Classic Sept. 29. The senior crossed the line with a season-best time of 25:01.56 to lead the way for UWM.

He also won the award after winning his first race of the year in impressive fashion. The senior took first at the Midwest Collegiate Open going away with a time of 25:51.8, a full 30 seconds in front of the next runner.

CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW
While Milwaukee does not technically have a true home course, it does host the Horizon League Championships this year at the same course it raced at in their second meet of the year.

If that weekend's results are any indicator, UWM is in fine shape for this year's league meet.

Although the Panthers did not use their complete roster, the men's team took fourth out of 12 teams and the women came in sixth out of 17. Jake Reilly stole the headlines by winning the race a full 30 seconds in front of the next finisher, while Sammy Woller led the women's team for the second straight week, just missing a spot in the top 10.

UP NEXT
Milwaukee's cross country teams run next when they host the Horizon League Championships Oct. 27 at UW-Parkside in Kenosha, Wis. For more information, go to our cross country championships page.