INVADERS' KELLY FRENCH QUALIFIES
FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

NOVEMBER 27, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- Kelly French, of the Indiana Invaders, finished 10th in the 8,000 meter race at the 2000 Canadian National Cross Country Championships held November 25th at Centennial Park, Etobicoke, Ontario and qualified for selection to the Canadian National Team which will compete in the World Championships in Dublin, Ireland in March 2001.

French, a native of Barrie, Ontario and a graduate of Southern Illinois University, was among a group of 6 athletes that comfortably secured positions 5 through 10 which automatically makes them eligible for selection to the Canadian World Cross Country Team.

Unlike the US system for team selection, the Canadian National Team selection process involves additional factors such as demonstrated fitness and recent championship performances which affect the final decisions which determine the actual team. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, French will most likely represent her country in Dublin, Ireland next March. Final status of the Canadian National Team is expected in February one month prior to the World Championships.

"Kelly achieved one of the goals that we had set for her by qualifying for her national cross country team," said Invaders' Head Coach Chris Buhler. He added, "now she can turn her full focus onto training and race preparation for the World Championships, this is just another natural step forward for an athlete that has made a lot of sacrifices in order to earn an opportunity to compete on the international scene. It is great to see that in just two years we have seen a half dozen Invaders work hard to put themselves into the position where they are ready and expect to earn spots on their respective national teams."

In light of the most recent efforts of her teammates at the USA Fall Cross Country Championships, Kelly French may be joined by a few of her clubmates at the World Cross Country Championships where they would be representing the United States. The US World Championship Trials will be held in Vancouver, Washington during February, 2001.

2000 Canadian Cross Country Women's Championship Results:

1 COURTNEY BABCOCK MOUNTAIN WEST TC             27:36
2 SARAH DUPRE      CATARAQUI OPTOMIST TC        27:41
3 LISA HARVEY      CALGARY SPARTANS             27:56
4 NATHALIE COTE    OTTAWA LIONS TFC             28:19
5 AUNDREA BERTOIA  HERSHEY HARRIERS             28:47
6 SARAH DILLABAUGH OTTAWA LIONS TFC             28:49
7 SHERRI SMITH     TRACK NORTH ATHLETIC CLUB    28:52
8 TAMBRA DUNN      UTTC                         28:57
9 BARBARA BRYCH    ISLAND PACIFIC ATHLETICS     29:00
10 KELLY FRENCH    INDIANA INVADERS             29:02

Full meet results available at: http://www.athleticscanada.com/AthcanResults/00_canadiancrosscountry.html

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger.

INDIANA INVADERS' MEN PLACE FIFTH, WOMEN SECOND AT USA FALL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOVEMBER 27, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- The Indiana Invaders second appearance as a team at the 2000 USA Fall Cross Country Championships on November 25th in Boston, Mass. produced notable improvements for the 2 year old club.

The men's squad, led by Kyle Baker's 2nd place finish, showed the biggest improvement from an eighth place finish in 1999 to fifth in 2000. While the women's team, led by the strong duo of Collette Liss and Priscilla Hein (4th & 5th), took second place for the second consecutive year.

The Wisconsin Runner Racing Team (1,6,8,13,32 = 60 pts.) won the men's championship race in the narrowest of victories over the Hanson's Running Shop (3,9,10,16,23 = 61 pts), the Farm Team (4,19,22,26,27 = 98 pts) finished third followed by Reebok Boston (17,28,34,40,43 = 162 pts) in fourth, and the Indiana Invaders (2,5,14,18,141 = 180) rounding out the top 5 teams in the field of 27. The Invaders' 180 points total came from the respective team finishes of Kyle Baker, Rick Sluder, Gareth Wilford, Todd Moroney, & Joe Parks.

Matthew Downin of the Wisconsin Runner Racing Team was the individual national champion over the 9855 meter course in a winning time of 29:01 over Baker's 29:05 and Chad Johnson's 29:06.

The Boston Athletic Association (5,15,20,21,29 = 90 pts.) won the women's race thirteen points ahead of the Indiana Invaders (2, 3, 23, 31, 44 = 103 pts.) Rounding out the top 5 teams in the field of the country's top 15 teams was Fila Track West (7,17,18,37,38 = 117 pts.) in third, Reebok Boston (4,10,19,41,54 = 128 pts.) was fourth and Greater Lowell Road Runners (1,24,32,34,51 = 142 pts.) in 5th. The Invaders' 103 points total came from the respective team finishes of Collette Liss, Priscilla Hein, Suzanne Castruita, Judy Porter, and Stephanie Dueringer. Hope Sanders also made her post-collegiate cross country debut as the Invaders 6th runner with a 47th place finish in the team scoring.

Kim Fitchen of NIKE International was the individual national champion over the 6017 meter course in a winning time of 20:04 over Carrie Tollefson's 20:17 and Sarah Hann's 20:20.

The Invaders saw strong improvement in both team and individual performances in their second year of team competition at the USA Fall Cross Country Championships. "In the last 12 months, we are most excited about our men's team clearly taking a major step toward the level of performance that we expect from our teams. In the team scoring, Baker improved 12 places from 1999, Wilford 8 places, and Moroney 19 places, plus in Rick Sluder one year out of college, we really saw the makings of a championship team emerging. ", said Head Coach Chris Buhler. He added, "In Kyle Baker, we knew we had added a national caliber front runner to our team and in Rick Sluder we've discovered a late bloomer who really set the field straight with the Invaders' mentality on racing by forcing the pace throughout the first half of the race. We are very pleased with our prospects for strengthening our 5 through 8 runners, both men & women, and contesting for the national titles in 2001.

Full meet results are available at:
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/00/ma/Nov25_USAFal_set1.asp

For further information on the Indiana Invaders, please contact Greg Harger.

INDIANA INVADERS MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TEAMS TO COMPETE AT USA FALL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOVEMBER 22, 2000

(INDIANAPOLIS)-- The Indiana Invaders men's and women's cross country teams will compete at the 2000 Fall USA National Cross Country Championships on November 25 in Boston, Mass. The meet will be held on the famed Franklin Park Cross Country course which last held the championships in 1991. The women will run 6,000 meters at 10:30 AM and the men 10,000 meters at 11:15 AM.

1999 USA Fall Cross Country Championship top three teams, Nike Farm Team (28 pts), Reebok Aggies (97 pts), and Native American Sports Council AC (123 pts) for the men and the NIKE Farm Team (21 pts), Indiana Invaders (80 pts), and FILA Track West (87 pts) on the women's side in addition to strong squads from notable clubs from around the country (Club Northwest, Hansons Running Shop, New York Athletic Club, Mountain West Track Club, Syracuse Chargers, Impala Racing Team, Atlanta Track Club, and Wisconsin Runner Track Club) along with top New England clubs, including the Boston Athletic Association, Boston Running Club, Central Mass Striders, Greater Boston Track Club, Reebok Boston, Greater Lowell Road Runners, Merrimack Valley Striders, Greater Springfield Harriers, Whirlaway Racing Team, Northshore Striders, and Liberty Athletic Club figure to field competitive men's and women's teams in this year's run for a national championship.

Members of the Invaders men's team to compete in the meet are: Kyle Baker, Todd Moroney, Joe Parks, Rick Sluder, and Gareth Wilford while Suzanne Castruita, Stephanie Dueringer, Priscilla Hein, Collette Liss, Hope Sanders, and Judy Porter will represent the Invaders in the women's race. In just their second year of fielding full squads, the Invaders men look to move up from last year's 8th place team finish while the women face the daunting challenge of defending their second place finish while trying to move up to the top spot.

"We clearly have a stronger team in both squads compared to last year's group yet we can expect a stronger field with the championship being held in cross country crazy New England area," said Buhler. He added, "While we are short on depth with just 5 men and 6 women, I expect very competitive efforts from our athletes."

The meet's team champions will receive the Fred Wilt Traveling Trophy, an award presented in memory of Fred Wilt, a former NCAA Cross Country Champion while at Indiana University, Head Women's Track and Cross Country Coach at Purdue University and member of the Indianapolis-based National Track & Field Hall of Fame.

For more information, please contact Greg Harger.

An athlete by athlete pre-event summary can be received by contacting Greg Harger via e-mail prior to Friday (24th) 9 AM (EST).