BYU to Host 2004 Autumn Classic

After their season opener last weekend, the men and women's cross country team faces a tougher challenge this weekend as they host the 2004 BYU Autumn Classic.

Utah State, UVSC, Minnesota, and Boise State will be the teams competing at this year's event.

"Boise State and Utah State are two teams that have a solid group of runners," said BYU women's coach Patrick Shane.

The women face a tough road ahead of them, as they'll be going through their 2004 season without their No. 1 runner in Kassi Andersen.

Andersen will undergo surgery at the University of Utah Hospital to have a plate put into her left pelvis.

Andersen and her older brother were riding their bikes back from Aspen Grove in American Fork Canyon last Saturday afternoon, when a truck pulling a trailer came around a blind left-hand turn at the same time Andersen and her brother approached.

Andersen tried to slow down to avoid the trailer, but was thrown off her bike and underneath the trailer. The accident left her with a fractured left elbow and a broken left pelvis.

"You can't replace your No. 1 runner," Shane said. "All you can do is ask the team to step it up. We'll rise to the occasion and we'll be fine."

As for the men, every one is healthy and looking forward to this weekend's race. The competition they'll be facing is a good test of how they'll fair throughout the season.

"This upcoming weekend is going to be our first true race," men's BYU coach Ed Eyestone said. "I think you'll see a very strong performance from us this weekend and that's exciting. If we can have a pack of five guys within about 30 seconds of each other with our top guy being way up there then we're going to be good."

The race will be held Saturday, September 11th, at Cascade Golf Course in Orem and will begin with the men's 4 mile at 10:00 a.m. followed by the women's 5K at 11:00 a.m. Admission into the event will be $3.00 for adults, $1.00 for students, and children five and under are free.