Cross-country hosts invite
Head cross country coach James Li and his Arizona teams will host the Dave Murray Invitational today, the only meet in Tucson during the team’s 2009 schedule.
Both the men’s and women’s teams will visit the Dell Urich Golf Course, 600 S. Alvernon Way, taking on Pacific 10 Conference foes UCLA and ASU, along with Pima and Mesa Community Colleges.
Unlike the meet in Flagstaff, Ariz. two weeks ago, Li said his entire team will compete, barring injuries, which he said they will be “”conservative”” in handling.
“”I’m really going to be looking forward to Mo (Mohamud) Ige,”” Li said of runners to watch. “”He’s going to (have) a significant impact.””
For the women, Li said senior Maggie Callahan, Hannah Henson and Hanna Moen will be amongst the leaders for the Wildcats.
The distances at the golf course will be increased 1,000 meters from last year, making the men’s course a 7,000-meter race and the women’s a 6,000m course, Li said.
“”It’s completely grass, there’s no major hills but there’s a lot of bumps,”” he said of the team’s home course.
Men’s tennis pulls out
The Arizona Wildcat men’s tennis team has pulled out of competition at this weekend’s Costa Mesa Futures tournament in Costa Mesa, Calif. due to a flu bug and “”unfulfilled”” entry requirements, assistant coach Tom Lloyd said.
The failed entry requirements were not disciplinary issues, Lloyd said.
Head coach Tad Berkowitz added that during the fall tournaments, which are simply for individual improvement and are not collegiate events, the players work on their off-season improvements.
“”We were trying to wait (the flu) out as long as we could,”” Berkowitz said of the decision to pull out. “”We decided it was best to rest up.””
Miners host Women’s tennis
Opening their season in Las Cruces, N.M., three Arizona players will represent the Arizona women’s tennis team, today through Sunday.
Senior Ariane Masschelein, sophomore Debora Castany and freshman Shannon Cassidy head to their first match of the fall season against a number of small-school teams including New Mexico State, Our Lady of the Lake and host University of Texas El Paso.
“”We are excited to get some competition underway,”” head coach Vicky Maes said through the athletic department. “”We only had a few weeks to prepare, but practice has gone well, and I feel we are ready to go and put our games into play.””
