Freshmen Key Men's Cross Country Team In Opener

DES MOINES, IOWA ? Freshman Colin Hagan (Wichita, Kan.) finished fifth as the Drake men's cross country team opened its season hosting the annual Bulldog Classic Friday at Ewing Park.

Hagan was timed in 12 minutes 36 seconds for 4,000 meters.

Drake senior Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) was seventh in 12:41. Drake freshman Derek Campbell (Sycamore, Ill.) was eighth in 12:59.

"Two of our top three runners were freshmen," said Grassmeyer. "So this bodes well for the future."

Grassmeyer, who won the 5,000-meter run at the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track meet, is looking to rebound after battling a stress fracture in his left shin last year.

"I was satisfied with my time," said Grassmeyer, who was redshirted during the 2008 indoor and outdoor track seasons. "I was a little cautious over the summer, so I didn't run as much but I'm ready to have a good senior season."

"This was a good home opener," said Drake coach Dan Hostager. "It served as a gauge of where we are. We have a great attitude on the team and I'm looking forward to the season."

Bulldog Classic,
Ewing Park,
Des Moines, Iowa
Men's Results
4,000 Meters
1. Clayton Carper, Iowa State, 12:13
2. Ben Murphy-Baum, Iowa State, 12:29
3. Zach McFall, Iowa State, 12:33
4. Daniel Murray, Iowa State 12:33
5. Colin Hagan, Drake, 12:36
6. Alex Whitesell, Iowa State, 12:37
7. Jeff Grassmeyer, Drake, 12:41
8. Derek Campbell, Drake, 12:59
9. Martin Popp, unattached, 13:01
10. Layden Tolhurst, Drake, 13:04
11. Zach Bales-Henry, Drake, 13:07
12. Brandon Lewis, Drake, 13:15
13. Barry Hill, unattached, 13:18
14. Evan Wood, Drake, 13:22
15. Adam Oestrich, Drake, 13:28
16. Josh Buschling, Drake, 13:31
17. Eric Sloss, unattached, 13:35
18. Luke Schafer, Drake, 13:37
19. Matt Jurysta, unattached, 13:40
20. Ben Jaskowlak, unattached, 13:45
21. Colin, Coomer, Drake, 13:49
22. Steve Jay, unattahed, 13:51
23. Mike Bumgarner, Drake, 14:04
24. Tim Kojetin, unattached, 14:32
25. Peter Schoneberg, unattached, 14:57
26. Eamon Tolhurst, unattached, 15:26
27. Jeremy Haack, Drake Alumni, 15:42.