Northview Church’s cross country course recently completed a unique double.
For the first time, the course held back-to-back college conference meets with the Big East men and women Oct. 29 and the Horizon League men and women Oct. 30.
It was the third time the Big East has been held at Northview. The Butler men’s team captured the title and the Bulldogs’ women’s team was second.
“We train consistently on the Northview course throughout the fall and race on it as well,” Butler men’s and women’s cross country coach Matt Roe said. “We consider it our home course, so we have a great deal of pride in how we compete when we are up in Carmel. We also take great pride in being good stewards of the course as we know that standalone cross country courses of its caliber are rare. I regularly pinch myself when I’m up there. It’s not just the course and the attention to detail in regards to its care that is special, but it’s our hosts at Northview as well.
“They are a tremendously accommodating and generous group. We count ourselves fortunate to have such great partners in this sport.”
Butler served as host of the Big East meet and IUPUI hosted the Horizon League meet.
IUPUI coach Chuck Koeppen’s men’s team won the Horizon League team championship Oct. 30. The women, coached by Antonio McDaniel, finished 10th.
“We also hosted an invitational meet there back in September and participated in a couple of Butler meets this season that were also run on the Northview course,” said Koeppen, whose team won its third consecutive Horizon crown. “Plus, our team has run a number of team workouts on the course during the season. The course is a great spectator course. It is very well maintained and easy to follow. Many large high school and college cross country meets are run there due to all of its outstanding qualities.
“Thanks to the church for making it so accessible and to those responsible for its upkeep, not to mention their numerous very able volunteers.”
Marty Day, who runs the races for Northview, said the rain from the previous two weeks made the course very saturated with water, leading to a need to alter the start and finish.
“Just nowhere for the seven-plus inches of rain to go, and it turned several portions into mud,” Day said. “Both races went off very good even in tough conditions and, thankfully, race day for both was very pleasant in temperature and no rain. Just sad the Northview course wasn’t pristine for these two national meets like it was all season.”
