Cross country team opens with higher expectations

By By Evan Kafarakis

Monday, August 14, 2006

The goal for the Jayhawk cross country team this year sounds simple. Finish better than last year. This is easier said than done, especially in light of how well the men’s and women’s squads performed last year.

The women’s team added new faces to the squad, but has experience from seniors Laura Major and Melissa Moody. The women’s team will welcome seven freshmen onto the squad this year.

“It’s hard to know what to expect,” coach Stanley Redwine said. “The best way to be a runner is to run, so we’ll see what we have when we get there.”

The men’s team is also coming off a very impressive 2005 campaign. Led by senior Benson Chesang, the two-time defending Big 12 Conference champion, the men’s team returns five of its top seven runners from last year.

At last year’s Midwest Regional Championships in Iowa City, Iowa, the Jayhawk men’s runners had their best results at the event in more than a decade, taking third place.

“It’s definitely an advantage having so much experience, but there are no guarantees,” Redwine said.

The cross country team will be competing in several recognizable meets this season, the first being in Lawrence.

Kicking off the season is the Bob Timmons Invitational on Sept. 2 at Rim Rock Farm on Highway 40 north of Lawrence.

From there the team will travel to Manhattan, Kan., to compete in the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational on September 8. Last year the women’s team defeated the Wildcats as the men’s squad settled for a tie.

The team will have a break before heading to Minneapolis, Minn., to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational on September 23.

October 14 brings the NCAA Pre-Nationals Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. The Big 12 Championships follow, taking place in Lawrence at Rim Rock Farm on October 27.

The team then travels back to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Midwest Regional Championships.

The season ends in Terre Haute, Ind., on November 20, with the NCAA Championships. The men placed 12th last year, their best result at the event since 1994. In order for the teams to meet the goals of the season Redwine said there will have to be a total team effort.

“We have to take care of business at each meet, and the results will show how talented this year’s team really is,” he said.

The 2005 season included five All-Region performers and three All-Big 12 performers.

Redwine said it’s difficult to say whether expectations were higher this year than last year.

The team begins practice later this week.

Kansan sportswriter Evan Kafarakis can be contacted at ekafarakis@kansan.com.

— Edited by Erin Wiley

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