WINNECONNE, Wis. – A ninth-place finish by Neil Pederson highlighted the UW-Stevens Point men's and women's cross country teams' performances at the highly-competitive AAE Invitational on Saturday, as the men placed fourth and the women came in 26th.
 
THE BASICS
Location: Lake Breeze Golf Club – Winneconne, Wis.
UWSP Men: 4th of 45 teams
UWSP Women: 26th of 46 teams
 
TOP-FIVE UWSP PERFORMANCES
 
Men | Results
Neil Pedersen (Clarndon Hills, IL/Hinsdale Central) – 9th, 24:55
Dane Tyler (Janesville, WI/Parker) – 36th, 25:16
Luke Johnston (Mokena, IL/Lincoln-Way East) – 43rd, 25:21
Alex Gonzales (West Allis, WI/West Allis) – 59th, 25:35
Alex Richardson (Hales Corners, WI/Whitnall) – 65th, 25:38
 
Women | Results
Holly Winberg (Forest Lake, MN/Forest Lake) – 53rd, 22:35
Amelia Fass (Madison, WI/James Madison) – 164th, 23:41
Kathy Derks (Greenville, WI/Hortonville) – 171st, 23:45
Katherine Larson (Milwaukee, WI/West Allis Central) – 172nd, 23:45
Emily Schlebecker (Mundelein, IL/Mendelein) – 197th, 24:00
 
NOTABLES
 
Each of the three teams to finish ahead of the UW-Stevens Point men were ranked in the top 13 of this week's United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll (No. 1 UW-Eau Claire, No. 3 North Central, No. 13 St. Lawrence).
 
The men also finished ahead of 12 teams that were ranked in the top 35 by the USTFCCCA, including four top-15 teams.
 
Pedersen's time was a personal-best for the junior, as he cracked the 25:00 barrier for the second time this season. The top-10 finish was Pedersen's third in four races this season.
 
UW-Stevens Point's top-five finishers on both the men's and women's sides all finished with personal-best times.
 
Lake Breeze Golf Club is also the site of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Cross Country Championships and the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.
 
Due to the size of the event, there was also an open event for the men and women in addition to the main pre-nationals races. Open results: Men | Women
 
UP NEXT
 
UW-Stevens Point returns to Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne for the UW-Oshkosh Open on Friday, Oct. 23 in the final tune-up for the WIAC Championships, held on Oct. 31.