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2005 Cross Country Outlook
Coach Stanley Redwine has a lot to look forward to as he begins his sixth year at the helm of the University of Kansas cross country program. With a senior laden men's team that also includes one of the top runners in the country, the 2005 team will look to improve on its fourth place finish at the Big 12 Championships a year ago. With seniors Angela Pichardo and Christine Lathrop leading the way, the women's team includes a solid group of sophomores and juniors that is hoping to improve on their 10th and 16th place finishes at last year's Big 12 Championships and NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, respectively. The men's fourth place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regionals tied their performance from the 2003 season, which marked the highest a cross country squad at Kansas had finished since 1994.
Redwine has made it clear what he expects from the men's team in their 2005 campaign: "We're definitely looking forward to our men placing in the NCAA Championships as a team. Last year we had a great year with Benson (Chesang). The men were fourth in the Big 12 Championships and we're looking to do better than that in the Big 12 standings as well as looking to get the entire team to the NCAAs."
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The men's team is coming back loaded after losing five seniors off of last year's Big 12 fourth place squad. The team will be led by one of the strongest runners in the country in junior Benson Chesang (Eldama Ravine, Kenya). Chesang was the top performer for the Jayhawks last year and was also the only KU runner to reach the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row. In addition to being named a 2004 All-American and All-Big 12 runner, Chesang won the Big 12 Championships last year, the first KU runner to win a conference championship since John Lawson in 1965. In all, he finished in the top ten in four of his five races, including an outstanding seventh place finish at the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.
In addition to Chesang, the team will also include two talented sophomores in Colby Wissel (Elm Creek, Neb.) and Paul Hefferon (Overland Park, Kan.). Wissel ended last season as the team's number two runner, finishing second on the team at both the Big 12 Championships and NCAA Midwest Regionals. Hefferon also came on strong at the end of the season, finishing a solid 34th at NCAA Midwest Regionals, good enough for fourth on the team. Over the summer, Hefferon won the 5k at the USA Juniors en route to capturing silver at the Junior Pan Am Games in Windsor, Ontario.
Also on the team will be a talented group of four seniors and two additional juniors who will all by vying for a spot in the top seven. The seniors include Matt French (Howell, Mich.), Joshy Madathil (Liberal, Kan.), Mike Putzke (New Buffalo, Mich.), and Cameron Schwehr (Colbert, Wash.). French, Schwehr and Madathil all competed in the Big 12 Championships last season, finishing 27th, 41st, and 43rd, respectively. Putzke will be looking to contribute points for the team in his final year at KU. Erik Sloan (Glenview, Ill.) is entering his junior year of eligibility after coming off a redshirt year where he did not compete in any races. Junior Tyler Kelly (Tulsa, Okla.) ran well last year as a sophomore, finishing 34th in the Big 12 Championships. Kelly was also named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team. Sophomores Nick Brennan (Moraga, Calif.) and Patrick McGowan (Springdale, Ark.) will try and use the team’s early races to earn a spot in the postseason meets.
Redwine's goals for the women's team are a bit more modest, but just as clear. "We're going to have a young team this year. Our goal is to be in the top half of the conference. We're looking to have a solid placing at the conference meet and hopefully we'll be able to get some of them to the NCAAs."
The women's side will be a young squad led by seniors Angela Pichardo (Hollywood, Fla.) and Christine Lathrop (Overland Park, Kan.). Pichardo had strong finishes in all of last year's races with her best coming at NCAA Midwest Regional Championships where she finished third on the team and 90th overall. Lathrop finished sixth on the team and 83rd overall at last year's Big 12 Championships.
In addition to the seniors, the team brings back two gifted sophomores in Connie Abbott (Overland Park, Kan.) and Lisa Morrisey (Ottawa, Kan.), who both placed high in last year's postseason meets. Morrisey finished second on the team and 72nd overall at last season's NCAA Midwest Regional Championships, while Abbott was fourth on the team and 91st overall. Fellow sophomores Hayley Harbert (Shawnee, Kan.), Alicia McGregor (Independence, Mo.), and Melissa O’Rourke (Tulsa, Okla.) will also be competing for a spot in the top seven.
Juniors Laura Major (Tulsa, Okla.), Melissa Moody (Smithville, Mo.), and Dena Seibel (Emporia, Kan.) will be asked to take on a greater role for the 2005 season. Major and Seibel were both named to the Academic AllBig 12 First Team last season. Seibel came in fifth on the team and 109th overall at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. Major's best finish was seventh at the Bob Timmons Invitational.
The team's early meets will be a chance for the competitors to prove themselves as they all vie for a position in the postseason races.
The 2005 Kansas cross country teams will look for their first conference championships since 1969 and Coach Redwine is optimistic about the upcoming season: "I expect for us to reach our goals. I say that out of all honesty. We're not just trying to aim high and hope to fall wherever we can. We plan on being there. That's the expectations of the athletes, that's our expectations as coaches, and hopefully we'll get there."
