Air Force Returns to Action at Greeno/Dirksen Invitational

Members of the 26th-ranked Air Force men's cross country team return to action this Saturday (Sept. 21), when it travels to Lincoln, Neb., for the 31st-annual Woody Greeno/Jay Dirksen Invitational. The men's 8K race is scheduled to get underway at 9:45 a.m. (CT) on the grounds of the Mahoney Golf Course.

MEET INFORMATION
The Greeno/Dirksen Invitational, jointly hosted by Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan, will take place at Mahoney Golf Course (7900 Adams Street in Lincoln) for the second-straight year. The women's 5K race will kick off the day at 9:00 a.m., while the men's 8K will follow at 9:45 a.m. (all times Central). Spectator parking will be available in the clubhouse lot and on the streets surrounding the course. Admission is $5 per person at the gate, while results will be available online at heartlandtiming.com.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Air Force is one of 20 teams scheduled to compete at the 2019 Greeno/Dirksen Invitational. The Falcons will be joined by meet co-hosts Nebraska and Nebraska Wesleyan, as well as teams from Central Missouri, Cloud County Community College, Colorado Christian, Doane, Iowa, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa Western Community College, Kansas State, Midland, Morningside, Nebraska-Kearney, Omaha, Saint Louis, South Dakota, Southeast Community College, William Jewell and the UNL Running Club.

WHO TO WATCH
Ten members of the men's team are entered in the 8K race, including Niko Fraser, Ryan Ioanidis, AJ Kedge, Aric Kedge, Drew Lester, Scott Maison, Ethan Marshall, Luke Nolley, Marshall Wheeler and Matt Zacharias.

HISTORY 101
The men have claimed the University team title seven times (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2016), while sharing the title with Nebraska in 1999. Individually, Jim Walmsley captured back-to-back titles in 2010-11. The women captured the University team title in 2012 to snap Nebraska's seven-year stretch of victories.

MEN CLIMB TO NO. 26 IN NATIONAL POLL, WOMEN EARN HIGHEST REGIONAL RANKING
The men moved up to No. 26 in the USTFCCCA national rankings on Sept. 17 – a one spot improvement from their preseason ranking. The women, who are just five points out of the top 30 in the national rankings, earned a No. 3 placement in the regional rankings, which is their highest mark in program history.

THE NEXT COURSE
The Falcons return to competition next Saturday (Sept. 28), when they travel to Springfield, Ore., for the Bill Dellinger Invitational at Pine Ridge Golf Club.

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