Cross country meet to be challenging for NU teams By Tony West Staff Reporter Having had a chance to relax, the Nebraska cross country teams will have be faced with tough competition this weekend. While a few Nebraska runners com peted at the Doanc Invitational last Saturday, most took the weekend off. However, the majority of the run ners will step back onto the course for competition Saturday at the Minneso ta Invitational in Minneapolis. The men will run 8,000 meters, and the women will follow with a 5,000-meter^ run at the University of Minnesota golf course. Having had a week off or not, Nebraska’s runners should be chal lenged Saturday, Nebraska cross coun try coach Jay Dirksen said. “Some of Jhe best teams in the country will be there,” he said. “This week will be the first real test wc’U have. We should get tested for both men and women.” About 26 men’s teams and 25 women’s teams will be competing. Although there are many teams. Dirksen said, Nebraska should be ready for the competition. “All of our meets are big meets,’’ he said. But for the first time, the Comhuskers will see the kind of com petition they can expect later in the season. “This meet simulates more of a championship-type meet,” Dirksen said. Dirksen said he was hoping for high finishes on both the men’s and ^omen’s sides. ' “I hope we can be in top 10 for men and top five for women,” Dirksen said. Even if the teams don’t reach that goal, Dirksen said, he wants to see more of what he has been noticing so far this fall. “Attitudes are really good,” he said. “We’re getting better. The big thing we want to do this week is keep im proving.” Makovicka Continued from Page 7 > chart when Calvin Jones returns. “It doesn ’ t matter where you are on the depth chart because the I-back gets so much work in our offense that we will still have to rotate in and out a lot/’ Makovicka said. Makovicka said Nebraska’s coach es planned to use Saturday’s game as a chance to evaluate all the running backs before entering the Big Eight season. The coaches now have to decide who will sec most of the play ing time behind Calvin Jones. “It is going to be kind of a tough decision for the coaches,” Makovicka said. “We are all trying to make it a little harder on them.” Although Makovicka has seen lim ited playing time, he said, he’s pleased with his improvement over last sea son. “Last year, I was just getting in at the end of the game when it didn’t matter,” Makovicka said. “But this season I’ve been in there when the game had still not been decided. “It helps my confidence to see the coaches have the confidence to trust and believe in me to produce.” R SPECIAL QUEST SHUDDER TO THINK 0CT08BI7 • PfOMY PARK MUJMOM Tickets available at all Ticket Centers CHARGE-BY-PHONE: 402-422-1212 own* 402-475-1212 UNCOU A CELLAR DOOR & PRODUCTION • % I ravls Meyiny/L/iN Nebraska’s Nikki Strieker, left, and Jen McFadden attempt a block during Nebraska’s win over Kansas State Wednesday night. Cyclones Continued from Page 7 ule that Iowa State has ever had ” Nunez said. “We opened with Washington State so we could show our young team where we want to be.” Iowa State took both Indiana and Michigan to five games before losing in the Big Eight-Big 10 Chal lenge in Boulder, Colo., Sept. 17 18. Nunez said Nebraska would be a good “role model” for the Cy clones. “My respect for Nebraska is enormous,” she said. “They are sol id all the way around. They have one of the best setters in the country in Nikki Strieker. “They’re extremely powerful, and their strengths are extremely well-rounded.” Strieker, the Huskcrs’ seniorset ter, moved closer to breaking former Husker All-American Val Novak’s school record for set assists by col lecting 48 against Kansas State. Strieker now has 2,984 career set assists, which is second to Novak’s 3 303. Former Husker Pickens charged with the rape of Alabama woman n i i n ) — mimiui r