Directions | On Pace with Shocker Track and Field

WICHITA, Kan. -  Wichita State's cross country teams will open its seasons with a home contest Saturday morning at the 69th Annual J.K. Gold Classic at the Four Mile Creek Resort - formerly R.A.F.T. Course.
 
The Shockers will be competing against former cross country coach Marc Burns and the Missouri Tigers from the SEC as well as Kansas State and Missouri State women at the Division I level.
 
The university/college men run a 6000m, while the university/college women run a 4000m at 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively.
 
The Shocker men and women won the team standings at the 2016 J.K. Gold Classic, including former Shocker Ugis Jocis winning the men's 6000m, and Rebekah Topham finishing first in the women's 4000m. The men return four top five finishers, Reno Law, Cory Landon, Nathan Wickoren and Joe Harter. The women's team return two-time winner Topham and Jordan Maestas who finished fifth in 2016.
 
The USTFCCCA has ranked the Shocker men No. 12 and women No. 14 in the Midwest Region preseason polls. Missouri men are ranked No. 9 and the women No. 1 in the Midwest Region preseason polls.
 
Other teams competing are Butler CC, Emporia State, Friends, Newman, and Southwestern (Kan.) as well as about a dozen area high schools.
 
The Four Mile Creek Resort is located on Tawakoni Road south of Kellogg (HWY 54). The meet is named for former long-time Shocker Cross Country and Track and Field Coach John Kornelson who is also a member of WSU's Pizza Hut Shocker Sports Hall of Fame.
 
The morning schedule is as follows, including the high school races:
8:00 a.m., Varsity girls 5000m, (Medals to top 10 finishers)
8:30 a.m., University/College Men 6000m, (T-Shirts to top 15 finishers)
9:00 a.m., University/College Women 4000m, (T-Shirts to top 15 finishers)
9:30 a.m., Varsity Boys 5000m, (Medals to top 10 finishers)
10:05 a.m., University/College Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m., Junior Varsity Girls 5000m, (Medals to top 10 finishers)
10:30 a.m., Junior Varsity Boys 5000m, (Medals to top 10 finishers)
11:15 a.m., High School Awards Ceremony
 
Cost for the event is $4 a person at the entrance to the course. Vehicles will break into three lanes once in the gate to help congestion along Tawakoni Road.