The UNI men's and women's cross country squads were picked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Missouri Valley Conference pre-championship vote by league coaches. Indiana State, with seven first place votes, was chosen as the men's favorite, while Wichita State grabbed seven first place votes to emerge as the women's top pick.

The UNI men have two of the MVC top-15 best times in the 8K this season with freshman Dorian Ulrey (5th, 24:54) and junior Dylan Davis (15th, 25:35). The women are led by the foursome of senior Quinn Vermie, junior Traci Hawley, sophomore Caedryn Schrunk and freshman Andrea Wacker. Hawley posted the fifth-best 5K in the MVC Sept. 30 with a time of 18:07.00.

The UNI women's cross country team placed second at the Jim Drews/Tori Neubuaer Invite with 85 points and the men finished 12th at the event.

Sophomore Caedryn Schrunk and junior Traci Hawley led the Panthers, placing fifth and sixth, respectively. The two recorded personal-bests in the 6K, running 21:57 and 21:58, respectively. Senior Quinn Vermie took 12th place, finishing in 22:26. Freshman Andrea Wacker claimed 15th place, running 22:41 in her first collegiate 6K.

Freshman Dorian Ulrey led the men once again, finishing 15th in a personal-best time of 24:54 in the 8K. Juniors Dylan Davis and Chris Lawson ran times of 25:48 and 25:54, respectively. Junior Andy Schon, senior Kyle Smith and Davis all set season-bests, as well.

• From I-80: Take Exit 397 (US-77S) go approximately one mile and turn right on Capitol Parkway West. Capitol Parkway becomes South Coddington Avenue, look for the park entrance on your left.

• From Downtown: Take South 9th Street, go approximately two miles to Capitol Parkway west, Capitol Parkway becomes South Coddington Avenue, look for the park entrance on your left.

• The UNI women's cross country team is knocking at the door of a top-ten Midwest Region ranking. They are currently ranked No. 12. Three other MVC women's teams are in the top-15: Wichita State, Missouri State and Southern Illinois.

•. Last year at the MVC Cross Country Championships, the UNI women's placed fourth and the men's team placed seventh. Caedryn Schrunk also earned all-MVC honors, placing 10th at the meet.

• Freshman Dorian Ulrey has posted the fifth-fastest time in the 8K among MVC runners this season. He ran a 24:54.00 Oct. 14 in West Salem, Wis.

• Junior Traci Hawley ran a 18:07.00, clocking in the fifth-best 5K time in the MVC this season, Sept. 30 in Brookings, S.D.

Freshman Dorian Ulrey has made a lasting first impression as a runner for the UNI men's cross country team. After leading the Panther men in his first two collegiate races, Ulrey was named the Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Athlete of the Week Sept. 12.

Ulrey's first collegiate win was at the Drake Classic on Sept. 1, where he ran the 4K in 12:06. Just seven days later, Ulrey took first place again, running the 8K in 29:07.59 at the Division I Bradley Open. He has competed against athletes from Illinois State, Indiana State, Bradley, Drake and Iowa State, among others.

For the season, Ulrey currently holds the sixth best 8K time in the Valley.

Ulrey, a native from Port Byran, Ill., clinched two state championships in the mile as an Illinois prep runner.

One name is synonymous with the strong Panther track and field tradition of success: Chris Bucknam. Now in his 24th season as head coach and fourth season as Director of Running Programs, Bucknam has helped UNI develop into one of the strongest running schools in the nation.

Since his arrival in 1979 as an assistant to long-time head coach Lynn King, the Panthers have won or shared 33 conference titles. After being promoted to head coach in 1984, Bucknam has taken the Panther cross country and track and field programs to new levels. He has produced two national champions and an outstanding 47 all-Americans in the 99 qualifiers he has sent to the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

He has led the cross country squads to a combined 10 conference championships. The UNI men's cross country team has secured two MVC Championships in the last five years.

Bucknam's success is evident not only to UNI but to the nation as well. Bucknam was awarded District V Coach of the Year and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year in 1995 after the Panthers won the MVC Outdoor Championships. He boasts 15 Missouri Valley Coach of the Year awards and was honored as the United States Track Association's Midwest Regional Coach of the Year for the seventh time after the men won its 2006 MVC Indoor title and placed 18th at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Prior to joining the Valley, Bucknam was named the top coach in the Mid-Continent Conference nine times.

A native of Beverly, Mass., Bucknam attended Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where he was a four-time letter winner in track, specializing in the middle distances. He was elected co-captain his senior year and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He earned his master's in physical education from UNI in 1982.

Bucknam and his wife, Cindy, reside in Cedar Falls with their son, Eric, and daughter, Kate.

Each Monday, UNI's in-season coaches will speak at noon in the back room of Pepper's Sports Bar and Grill, located on 18th street in Cedar Falls. The public and media are invited to attend.

The latest press releases, statistics, schedules and results for all UNI sports are available on the official UNI Athletics Web Site at www.unipanthers.com. Fans can also visit the Missouri Valley Conference's website at www.mvc.org for the latest conference information.