Aug. 30, 2003
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After heavy rains pounded the Varisty Cross Country Course on Friday evening, the Boilermaker cross country teams dominated the individual standings at the season-opening Purdue Open on Saturday morning.
The Purdue women claimed seven of the top 10 finishes in the 4K event, while the won took home six of the top 10 spots on the 6K course. The event was also attended by teams from Illinois, IUPUI, Danville Community College and Mid-Continent College.
On the women's side, unattached runner Meghan Kebert won the first race of the season with a time of 15:22.5, besting the rest of the field by 28 seconds. The time was 20 seconds off the pace of the winning time of last year's Purdue Open, won by Purdue's Corrie Whisner.
The men's winner was David Rae, a Purdue junior, with a time of 19:41.5. The win was Rae's first first-place collegiate finish and the fifth top-10 finish of his career. The winning time of the 2002 event was 18:30.6, put in by former Purdue standout Donnie Fellows.
Junior Amber Ferner was the top finishing Boilermaker in the women's race, placing second with a mark of 15:50.6. Just six seconds behind Ferner was Purdue sophomore Lindsay Zinn (15:56.7), making her return to the course after sitting out the 2002 season with a stress fracture in her foot.
Other Purdue women finishing in the top 10 were sophomore Kaleena Cappel (5th, 16:02.5), junior Kara Lahey (6th, 16:06.8), freshman Rachel Kroll (7th, 16:08.3), junior Christan Bahler (8th, 16;14.9) and junior Laura Farley (10th, 16:30.6).
Senior Kyle Orender placed second in the men's race, five seconds off the pace set by Rae. Orender's time of 19:46.6 was good for his fifth career top 10 finish. Jason Carlson, another Purdue senior, finished fifth with a time of 20:24.1.
Other top 10 finishers for the Boilermakers were junior Nick Bruckbauer (6th, 20:26.5), sophomore Dan Mathers (8th, 20:41.1) and freshman Bill Potempa (9th, 20:45.5).
The Boilermaker cross country teams have a weekend off next week before returning to their home course on Sept. 13 for the Great American Legends race.