Through a quick analysis of the Iowa men’s cross-country team, one might assume the Hawkeyes are somewhere near the bottom of both the national and Big Ten barrels.

Injuries this season have hampered three of Iowa’s top five finishers. The squad’s No. 1 runner is a true freshman. First-team All-Big Ten performer Jesse Luciano has yet to have a dominating performance.

But the Hawkeyes stand in the middle of the Midwest Regional, and with the Big Ten championship coming this weekend, they can still earn a spot at nationals.

Much of Iowa’s success has stemmed from an incredible freshman campaign by Jeffrey Thode. The other runners who have taken over for the injured Nick Holmes, Sam Bailin, and cocaptain Brendan Camplin cannot be overlooked, though.

“Coach [Larry] Wieczorek always talks to us about being a team with interchangeable parts, that you compete with the runners you have.” said fifth-year senior and cocaptain Tommy Tate, one of the two longest-serving Hawkeye runners. “Jeff and Jesse will be up in the front. We have to keep a tight pack and run as well as possible.”

Wieczorek said Tate, along with junior James Paul and sophomore Chase Kadlec, has performed admirably this season.

Although, aside from Luciano and Thode, no one has progressed more than junior Mark Battista, the 23-year headman said.

“He’s not taken one step forward, he’s taken a couple steps forward,” Wieczorek said. “He’s been capable all along. He really just went to work. Mark has been a real bright spot for us.”

With the wave of injuries hitting the Hawkeyes during the heart of the championship portion of their season, Battista has become a top-three finisher for Iowa all season. In 2008, he was a consistent top-seven finisher as a sophomore.

“I knew I had to come in and step it up,” Battista said. “Last season, I was up around Jesse and Sam. I just want to keep running [personal records] in every meet.”

During the Hawkeyes’ third meet of the season earlier this month, Battista did just that. At the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational, he ran a time of 25:07 — his collegiate best.

His personal record only stood for two weeks, though. He bettered the time at the Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind., finishing in 25:02.

“I haven’t really changed my goals,” Battista said. “I want to run a sub-25-minute 8,000-meter race. Hopefully, that will put me in the top 20 guys at the Big Ten championship. It’s a 10,000-meter race, though, so it will be different.”

Iowa may need Battista and the rest of the Hawkeyes to bring their best efforts to State College, Pa., this weekend if the team wants a shot at scoring in the conference championship.

A boost in production could come if Iowa’s walking wounded make the strides in recovery Wieczorek expects them to during the week.

“Nick Holmes and Brendan Camplin should get a chance to compete at the Big Ten championship this week,” the coach said. “Sam Bailin looks like he’s further away from recovery. These are all what we call ‘overuse injuries.’ Sometimes, it’s hard to get over the hump, to get back.”