Cross country teams head to Lawrence for NCAA Regional

Evan Plugradt|November 12, 2015

The fall season is drawing to a close for Wichita State cross country. The Shockers are set to travel to Lawrence this weekend for the NCAA Regional tournament.

The men will compete in an 8K race, the women a 6K. Head coach Kirk Hunter said he hopes his team can earn top 10 finishes on both sides.

“We will need to have a great meet in order to [place in the top 10 on both sides],” Hunter said. “We expect to run well and finish the season off great.”

The top two finishing teams for each race advance to the NCAA Championships, additionally the top four finishers for each race advance, as well.

The Shockers have struggled to send any athletes in recent seasons, but Hunter said he believes one of his veteran runners may finally end that drought.

“Brady [Johnson] has the best shot of qualifying if he runs to the level of his ability,” Hunter said.

Johnson holds the third-fastest 8K finish in the Missouri Valley Conference this season. Johnson, a junior, broke the Shockers’ 8K school record earlier this season at the Chile Pepper Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The Shockers will compete in the NCAA Regional at 8 a.m. Friday.