Five Things to Know: No. 10 Badgers set to host and compete in the NCAA Championship

Saturday, November 17

Madison, Wis.

10:45 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

NCAA Championships

Photo by: Lauren Sanders

Five Things to Know: No. 10 Badgers set to host and compete in the NCAA Championship

November 14, 2018 | Women's Cross Country

Cross Country Meet Central Zimmer Championship Course sets the standard Friendly rivalry fuels teammates Hoare and McDonald Breakout season for Badgers' Monson

UW to host national championships on Saturday

2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships

Saturday, Nov. 17 | 10:45 a.m. — Madison, Wis.

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MADISON, Wis. -- Following a runner-up finish at last weekend's NCAA Great Lakes Regional, the Wisconsin women's cross country team is preparing to host and compete in the NCAA Championship meet this weekend in Madison. The national championships will take place at home at the Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course this Saturday. The meet is scheduled to begin with the women's championship 6K race at 10:45 a.m. (CT) with the men's championship 10K race to follow at 11:45 a.m.

The 2018 NCAA Cross Country Championships will be streamed live on FloTrack. In addition, fans can follow the action on Instagram and Twitter (@BadgerTrackXC) and catch a recap following the meet on UWBadgers.com.

Fans planning on attending should read the spectator information page.

1. Home Sweet Home: The Badgers return home after two meets on the road to host the NCAA Championship race. Wisconsin spent a lot of time on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, including hosting the Badger Classic, Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational, and the NCAA Pre-National meet.

2. Regional Recap: The Badgers redeemed themselves after a third place finish at the Big Ten Championship. The women's team took second place at the NCAA Great Lakes regional Meet, finishing behind Big Ten rivals the Michigan Wolverines. The team's second place finish granted them an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.

3. Our Ace, Alicia: Alicia Monson won her fourth race of the year in Terre Haute, making her the Great Lakes Region's Athlete of the Year. Monson also won the Big Ten championship two weeks earlier, becoming the first Badger to win the conference meet since 2001. She is ranked as the No. 3 runner by FloTrack and is looking to become Wisconsin's first individual NCAA champion since Erica Palmer in 1999.

4. 'Weather' or Not: The forecast for the meet on Saturday is going to be frigid. But that doesn't scare the Wisconsin women's cross country team. "Make it colder. Make it windier. Let it snow, rain, sleet. That would be my wish," women's head coach Jill Miller said. "Cross country is a test of toughness. It should be a challenge and I think that is the most fun part about our sport. So bring it on. To me, the weather looks a little too nice this week."

5. History in the making: Alicia Monson is among the top runners competing at the NCAA Championship and will look to become the fourth Badger woman in history to claim the individual title. Only three Badger women have won an NCAA Cross Country title, including Cathy Branta, who was the first to win a title in 1984. 11 years later in 1995, Kathy Butler was crowned the NCAA cross country champion. Erica Palmer is the most recent Badger to win the honor when she won the national meet in 1999.