After last season’s dual men’s and women’s Mid Central Conference Championships, we are looking forward to the 2007 season. Last season seemed to go according to our planning as we not only were MCC champs, but also qualified more athletes for NAIA and NCCAA Indoor and Outdoor Nationals than we ever had before. With that came the highest team finish at those national meets capped off with a 16th place finish by our men’s team at NAIA Outdoor nationals in Fresno, California.
We lost two great leaders in our programs to graduation with two year leaders and NAIA All-Americans Erica Young for the women and Kyle Amor for the men. We feel that our teams are in great hands with the leadership for this season. The men will be led senior NAIA All-American Geoffrey King and senior triple jumpers Chase Bislow and Adam Cramer. I am very excited about our core group of juniors on the men’s side. Juniors Zach Burrington (All-American, pole vault), Chris Warhop (All-American, sprints, long jump), Brandon Thomas (All-American, sprints, jumps), Travis LaVine (throws), David Prieb (mid distance ), Andrew Gray (distance), Kyle Steury (distance), and Adam Short (pole vault) all will not only add great talent but will supply the leadership needed to be successful.
Leadership on the women’s side is equally exciting and will come from senior Jessica Mead (distance), and juniors Kerri Goodrich (hurdles), Bekah Laman (pole vault), Kate Bishop (hurdles), Ashley Imhoff (distance), Allison Schuck (distance), Emily Weaver (hurdles), Natalie Young (javelin), Cherrie Davis (steeplechase), and Ashley Sparks (throws).
The sophomore class is one that we will see great improvement from as we head into 2007. They had a terrific freshman season, but with their hard work, expectations have increased for them as a collective group. That group includes, for the men, Harold Johnson, AJ Sullivan, Chase Healey, Scott Robinson, Ben Collard, Calyn Naragon, Nate Phillips, William Walker, and BJ Austin. For the women, the Sophomores are Heather Rathbun, Shelby Morrow, Nichole Hinton, Brittany Cook, Calyn Zahl, Alison Gingrich, Dawn Heckman, Lacey Litteral, Danae Ellison, and Mozy Thiel.
The final piece of the puzzle for 2007 are the talented group of newcomers that have joined our teams. On the men’s side JC transfers Rod Waters (hurdles) and Vincent Reel (Mid distance) will add tremendously. Freshmen include throwers JJ Jackson, Brandon Hooven, Knox Capre, Jeff Hardman, and Eric Cody, sprinters Brad Wilson, JW Maierle, and Jontae Randolph, javelin thrower Alex Walsh, and distance runners Randy Gengerich, Ryan Waybright, Jared Mead, Raymond Duttweiler, and Ken Collins. On the women’s side newcomers include sprinters Jessie Spearman, Laura Miller, and Caitlyn Weeks, pole vaulters Caitlyn Gager and Ann O’Keefe, throwers Holly Farrar, Lisa Neufeldt, Alicia Derr, and Lyndee Flint, and distance runners Becca Prieb, Ashley Wray, Katie Heisey, Laura Winnigham, and Charity Lane.
With a good mix of veteran leaders and talented newcomers, we are excited for the 2007 season to start.
No comments:
Post a Comment