Four Bears Returning to Their Old Kentucky Home on Saturday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mercer’s men’s and women’s cross country teams will resume action after a two-week break when the squads compete in the Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic on Saturday (Oct. 1). Bears' head coach Ryan Bailey is looking for big things from both of his squads in this week’s race.

The men have been slotted in the “Gold Division” race at 9:30 a.m., while the women were placed in the “Blue Division” race at 11:30 a.m.

The Classic – hosted by the Louisville Sports Commission – will be a homecoming for four of the MU runners, all of whom prepped at nearby South Oldham High School. Leading the quartet is the duo of juniors Kacie Niemann for the MU women and Jacob Law for the men.  In each of their previous two years with the Mercer program, Niemann and Law have been the Bears’ top finishers in their respective races when returning to the “Bluegrass State” for the Greater Louisville meet.

In last year’s race, Niemann broke the 19-minute barrier for the 5K race for the first time in 2010. Niemann – who owns the top-two times in Mercer history - would go on to post a string of what is now four-consecutive sub-19 minute races in the 5K. Law completed the men’s 8K course in a clocking of 26:15.30 (the 10^th-best time in MU history).

The other two Kentucky-natives are Law’s younger brother, Jeff, and SOHS classmate Austin Pfeiffer, both freshmen.

“All four of my ‘Kentucky Long Rifles’ will be traveling to the meet,” Bailey said. “The men's team made the Gold Race on the strength of their Runfit performance. Expect to see the first-ever sub-26 minute team average in the eight kilometers for the men and expect a bump in the A-Sun polls after this race.

“Expect the first-ever sub-18 minute five kilometers from Kacie (Niemann) – which would be a real milestone for us. With the South Oldham coach resting his team this week so they can attend our meet and cheer for their alums, we will see some extra-inspired running this weekend.”