2008 Woodie Awards
Cross country changes focus
McElhaney aims talented teams toward nationals
Erik Johnson
Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: Sports
On the men's side, highly-decorated senior and 2006 conference champion T. Jay Sanderson graduated. On the women's side, 2006 third-place MIAA finisher Amy Broadhurst was also lost to graduation.
"It seems like a hindrance [losing Sanderson and Broadhurst], but at the same time, it opens the door for other people to step up and take leadership," said Head Cross Country coach Corey McElhaney. "I believe we have several people on both teams that are capable of filling those leadership rolls."
Due to the departures of DeLong, Sanderson and Broadhurst, the men's cross-country team is picked to finish fifth in the MIAA this year while the women are picked to come in fourth in the conference.
Both of those preseason rankings seem a bit low for teams who finished second in the MIAA last year and return the majority of their scorers (the men return five of their top seven while the women return six of their top seven).
"We lost our coach and our number one [runners], so I can understand not getting the credit, but I think that will fire up the team and show them they have to work to earn everything they get," said McElhaney.
In reality, it might be wise to expect big things out of the cross country teams from SBU this year. On the men's side, the returners are led by junior Michael Pierce (seventh in the MIAA last year). Also figuring into the mix with another year of experience under their belts are juniors Vince Tichenor and Andrew Bly along with sophomores David Hackney, Michael McCampbell, Jeremy Glassmaker, Jesse Keuker and Cameron Ayers.
In addition to the returners already mentioned, the health of sophomores Shawn Etzenhouser and Josh Rollins could be a key to the Bearcats success this year. If Etzenhouser and Rollins are able to stay healthy this year, the Bearcats could be a force to be reckoned with come October and November.
On the women's side, the outlook might even be brighter than that of their male counterparts. Sophomore Courtney Ayers is the top returner after her All-MIAA performance at the conference championship meet last year. Joining Ayers will be fellow sophomores Kristen Colon and Chelsea Strahm who both finished in the top 20 at the conference meet last year.
"It seems like a hindrance [losing Sanderson and Broadhurst], but at the same time, it opens the door for other people to step up and take leadership," said Head Cross Country coach Corey McElhaney. "I believe we have several people on both teams that are capable of filling those leadership rolls."
Due to the departures of DeLong, Sanderson and Broadhurst, the men's cross-country team is picked to finish fifth in the MIAA this year while the women are picked to come in fourth in the conference.
Both of those preseason rankings seem a bit low for teams who finished second in the MIAA last year and return the majority of their scorers (the men return five of their top seven while the women return six of their top seven).
"We lost our coach and our number one [runners], so I can understand not getting the credit, but I think that will fire up the team and show them they have to work to earn everything they get," said McElhaney.
In reality, it might be wise to expect big things out of the cross country teams from SBU this year. On the men's side, the returners are led by junior Michael Pierce (seventh in the MIAA last year). Also figuring into the mix with another year of experience under their belts are juniors Vince Tichenor and Andrew Bly along with sophomores David Hackney, Michael McCampbell, Jeremy Glassmaker, Jesse Keuker and Cameron Ayers.
In addition to the returners already mentioned, the health of sophomores Shawn Etzenhouser and Josh Rollins could be a key to the Bearcats success this year. If Etzenhouser and Rollins are able to stay healthy this year, the Bearcats could be a force to be reckoned with come October and November.
On the women's side, the outlook might even be brighter than that of their male counterparts. Sophomore Courtney Ayers is the top returner after her All-MIAA performance at the conference championship meet last year. Joining Ayers will be fellow sophomores Kristen Colon and Chelsea Strahm who both finished in the top 20 at the conference meet last year.
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