Nebraska Runners Compete at Emporia State Invitational

Emporia, Kan. - Several members of the University of Nebraska cross country team competed in the Emporia State Cross Country Invitational in Emporia, Kan., on Friday.

Freshman Hillary Laird from Kansas City, Mo., cracked the top 10 in the women's 5,000-meter race, crossing the line in 19:34 to finish ninth. Sophomore Christy Linnell finished 18th (20:01), while Melissa Drozda, a sophomore from Omaha, finished 37th (20:42). Senior Deb Osteen, who is coming off an injury, finished 39th in a time of 20:56. The Huskers did not send enough runners to compete as a team.

Sophomore Phillip Davis was the sole Nebraska representative in the men's race. The Watertown, S.D., native finished covered the 8,000-meter course in 27:25 to finish 30th among 127 competitors.

Nebraska will send a full team to Orono, Maine, on Oct. 7 to compete in the Murray Keatinge Invitational. The men's 5-mile race is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., followed by the women's 5,000-meter event at 11 a.m.