Game 2- Liberty

10 days is quite the turnaround, but after welcoming in new head coach Brian Cunningham, the Troy men’s and women’s cross country team has hit the ground running in preparation for the 2021 campaign.

“We have been meeting a lot to make sure that we are getting to know each other, Cunningham said. “We are building those relationships just by being out there together every day. We are learning each other’s personalities and challenging them to think about the legacy they are leaving at Troy.”

Cunningham joined the Troy staff following two seasons in a similar role at Bridgewater College. Following his first year at Bridgewater, he was named the USTFCCCA South/Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

His runners, Calista Ariel and English Jackson took the top two places in the 3000 and 5000 at the ODAC Championships and set school records in the process. Both athletes also qualified for the NCAA Division III Cross Country and Indoor Track & Field National Championship.

Cunningham now makes the jump to DI; however, the dynamics and strategies are relatively the same.

“Physiology doesn’t change, and that’s the big thing when you’re working with student-athletes in track and field and cross country. Our paces are faster; we are recruiting kids that are a little fast. Overall though, the training is still the same. We are still getting the same type of kids, but they are just running a bit faster.”

Cunningham and the Trojans return two of their top three runners on the women’s side in Gracie Booher and Cadi Rowe.

After notching a top-ten finish at the conference meet, Booher was dubbed the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year becoming the first Trojan in Troy’s DI history to earn a postseason award.

Rowe was a Third Team All-Sun Belt selection after finishing just outside of the top ten at the Sun Belt Championships last season. The sophomore finished 11th in 18:07.70 for a 5k personal record.

On the men’s side, Troy returns its top-runner in Mason Bennett. Bennett led the Trojans in three of the four meets last season, including at the Sun Belt Championships where he posted an 8k personal record.

“I’m excited to be kicking off our season and to see some of the initial results of our summer training. These first few weekends will be good competitions on the road to the Sun Belt Conference Championship meet at the end of October.”