Completed Event: Cross Country at Cowboy Preview on August 29, 2025 , , 2nd - M/3rd - W
Final
Cross Country
at Cowboy Preview
University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sooners Start Cross Country Season
September 10, 2004 | Cross Country
NORMAN, Okla. The OU men's and women's cross country teams start their seasons Saturday at the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational in Topeka, Kan.
The women begin the action at 8:15 a.m. and the men start at 9 a.m.
This season the Sooners are prepared to improve on last year's Big 12 Conference finishes. The men's team finished a best-ever seventh and the women placed ninth, duplicating their best overall finish from 1997 and 1998.
“These kids are ready to go,” head coach Rodney Rothoff said. “They are restless and have been excited about this day for awhile. I'm excited to watch them run, too.”
The Sooner women are stacked with a talented group of sophomores.
“The women had an outstanding season last year,” Rothoff said, “and last year's freshmen are one year older and wiser. They should improve greatly from last season as long as they make good decisions.”
The Sooner men, however, do not return with much experience.
“We lost four of our top five runners,” Rothoff said. “It will be hard to replace them but I do believe that we can be better than last year.”
The Stateland Cross Country Fairgrounds, the location of Saturday's race, is the same course that will host the Big 12 Championships on Oct. 30. The course is set along lengthy, rolling hills and includes some dirt trails.
“The objectives this weekend,” Rothoff said, “are to see where our team is physically and to preview the course that hosts our conference championship.”
The 2004 team is excited to finally run against some competition.
“The team is excited to run for the first time,” Rothoff said. “A lot of these kids will wear their uniform for the first time. This race will help the younger runners build experience as we prepare for the Big 12 meet.”
The Sooners will compete against Big 12 schools Oklahoma State, Kansas and Kansas State as well area teams from Fort Hays State, Missouri-Kansas City, Haskell Indian Nations University and Wichita State.
Complete results will be posted on SoonerSports.com as soon as they become available.
Friday, October 28
Friday, October 28
Monday, November 30
Monday, March 23
