2008 Woodie Awards
Cross country teams face first test
Erik Johnson
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Sports
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Pierce finished ninth out of over 330 competitors, covering the eight-kilometer (five-mile) course in 24 minutes, 44 seconds. The performance by Pierce was even more impressive when one looks closer at the final results. Pierce was the first Division II runner to cross the line. He also outpaced one of his top competitors for the individual conference title in junior Dustin Dixon of Missouri Southern. For his performance, Pierce was honored by the conference as the MIAA Runner of the Week.
"It just a taste of what he can do," said Head Coach Corey McElhaney. "He has put in the work and we are really going to see what he can do this year."
As a team, the SBU men held their own against a fielded loaded with talent. Among their competition were Division I programs such as Arkansas, Tulsa and Oral Roberts.
"Every guy but two had a PR [personal record]," said McElhaney. "Time-wise, I couldn't have asked for more. As a team, we got beat by some teams that I don't think should have beat us. We can do better as a team."
Behind Pierce for the Bearcats were sophomores Jeremy Glassmaker (25:29), Cameron Ayers (25:59), Michael McCampbell (26:03), Shawn Etzenhouser (26:24) and David Hackney (26:40).
Perhaps the biggest surprise for SBU is Ayers. After a freshman year in which he did not place in the top seven for the Bearcats in the MIAA meet, he has become one of the keys to success for the 'Cats. Ayers time of 25:59 was over 1:30 faster than he ran at the conference meet last year.
"Cameron took a big step," said McElhaney. "For him to make it all the way up to our number-three runner, is big for him and he can get even better."
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