Saturday, September 1
Augusta, Kan.
8:30 A.M.
Kansas State University
at
JK Gold Classic
K-State Cross Country Opens 2018 Season at the JK Gold Classic
Aug 28, 2018 | Cross Country
MANHATTAN, Kan. – The Kansas State men's and women's cross country teams will open their 2018 season this weekend, as the Wildcats travel to Augusta, Kansas to race in the 70th annual J.K. Gold Classic at Four Mile Creek Resort on Saturday, September 1.
The Wildcats gets started at 8:30 a.m., CT with the start of the University/College men's 6k race, followed by the University/College women's 4k race at 9:00 a.m., CT. Admission to the event is $4 per person, children 3 and under get in for free.
The J.K. Gold Classic marks the first of seven scheduled competitions for the Wildcats this season, and the first of two in the state of Kansas. The Wildcats have competed at the J.K. Gold Classic in each of the last 10 seasons dating back to 2007.
"Our goal is to see if we can pack up and see what kind of a group we can get to stay together. Like most first meets, this meet is a good opportunity to get out and shake off some rust," Head Coach Ryun Godfrey said. "It will be a good way to start the season."
The Wildcats are coming off a successful 2017 campaign, in which the K-State men earned its best finish in Big 12 Conference history, where the team finished fourth overall with 142 points, before finishing 10th at the NCAA Midwest Regional, their best finish since 2004.
Graduating six seniors on the men's team and one senior on the women's team from a season ago, the Wildcats bring back several returners, as well as a group of intriguing underclassmen.
The K-State men's team features two upperclassmen, including senior Joe Gorthy, who capped off the 2017 season with a series of personal bests, including a 58th place finish at the Big 12 Championships.
"Joe (Gorthy) has had a really good summer," Godfrey said. "There are some freshmen that will be right up there in the mix. It's just trying to get them to pack up and see where some of the freshmen are, that's one of the things that I will be most curious about."
The women's team will be led by a number of returners, including senior Emma Wren, junior Sydney Collins and sophomore Cara Melgares. A season ago, all three Wildcats set personal bests at the Big 12 Championships, placing each of them in the top-45 at the meet.
During the 2018 Outdoor track and field season, Wren, Collins and Melgares continued to put together solid performances, with each of them scoring at the 2018 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Along with Wren, Collins and Melgares, junior Anna Keeley, sophomore Kassidy Johnson, sophomore Victoria Robinson and freshman Karley Larson will look to make an impact for the Wildcats.
Four Mile Creek Resort, formerly RAFT Golf Course, features a 6k race for the men, in which the runners complete two loops of a 3k course and a 4k race for the women made up of two 2k loops. Four Mile Creek Resort is located off Tawakoni Road in Augusta, Kansas.
Results will be made available on www.kstatesports.com and K-State Track & Field and Cross Country social media accounts following the conclusion of Saturday's races. For more information on the J.K. Gold Classic, click here.
For the latest on K-State cross country follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
The Wildcats gets started at 8:30 a.m., CT with the start of the University/College men's 6k race, followed by the University/College women's 4k race at 9:00 a.m., CT. Admission to the event is $4 per person, children 3 and under get in for free.
The J.K. Gold Classic marks the first of seven scheduled competitions for the Wildcats this season, and the first of two in the state of Kansas. The Wildcats have competed at the J.K. Gold Classic in each of the last 10 seasons dating back to 2007.
"Our goal is to see if we can pack up and see what kind of a group we can get to stay together. Like most first meets, this meet is a good opportunity to get out and shake off some rust," Head Coach Ryun Godfrey said. "It will be a good way to start the season."
The Wildcats are coming off a successful 2017 campaign, in which the K-State men earned its best finish in Big 12 Conference history, where the team finished fourth overall with 142 points, before finishing 10th at the NCAA Midwest Regional, their best finish since 2004.
Graduating six seniors on the men's team and one senior on the women's team from a season ago, the Wildcats bring back several returners, as well as a group of intriguing underclassmen.
The K-State men's team features two upperclassmen, including senior Joe Gorthy, who capped off the 2017 season with a series of personal bests, including a 58th place finish at the Big 12 Championships.
"Joe (Gorthy) has had a really good summer," Godfrey said. "There are some freshmen that will be right up there in the mix. It's just trying to get them to pack up and see where some of the freshmen are, that's one of the things that I will be most curious about."
The women's team will be led by a number of returners, including senior Emma Wren, junior Sydney Collins and sophomore Cara Melgares. A season ago, all three Wildcats set personal bests at the Big 12 Championships, placing each of them in the top-45 at the meet.
During the 2018 Outdoor track and field season, Wren, Collins and Melgares continued to put together solid performances, with each of them scoring at the 2018 Big 12 Outdoor Championships. Along with Wren, Collins and Melgares, junior Anna Keeley, sophomore Kassidy Johnson, sophomore Victoria Robinson and freshman Karley Larson will look to make an impact for the Wildcats.
Four Mile Creek Resort, formerly RAFT Golf Course, features a 6k race for the men, in which the runners complete two loops of a 3k course and a 4k race for the women made up of two 2k loops. Four Mile Creek Resort is located off Tawakoni Road in Augusta, Kansas.
Results will be made available on www.kstatesports.com and K-State Track & Field and Cross Country social media accounts following the conclusion of Saturday's races. For more information on the J.K. Gold Classic, click here.
For the latest on K-State cross country follow @kstatesports and @KStateTFXC on Twitter or Kansas State Track & Field/Cross Country on Facebook.
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