Sept. 23, 2002

Kenosha, Wis. - Sometimes racing in the middle of a season isn't the solution for a team to feel the ultimate exuberance at the end of the season, say at the Horizon League Championships, for example.

University of Illinois at Chicago head cross country coach Jim Knoedel is hoping that theory comes to fruition after he rested many of his top athletes, giving some of the unheralded UIC runners a chance to prove themselves at the Midwest Collegiate Invitational on Saturday.

The men's squad grabbed 12th-place in the large 32-team field, running without the services of Joe Marren and Rich Daubert.

The women didn't field a full team, as Stephanie Maisel was the lone UIC athlete to compete, finishing the 5K course in 23:09.

Senior Danny Smith continued his leadership for the Flames, placing 41st, as he covered the difficult 8K course in 26:55.

Tristan Roche appears poised to solidify himself among the Flames' elite finishing in 27:38, good for 74th-place.

Whitney Burns (28:45), Graham Waller (28:57) and Bob Dron (29:04) rounded out the scoring for the Flames.

Both squads will take off next weekend, before splitting squads on the weekend of October 4-5, as the Flames will take part in the Notre Dame Invitational on Friday and the Sean Earl Lakefront Invite on Saturday.