Cross Country/Track
SBU Cross Country 8th and 5th at Missouri Southern Stampede
By
Sep 17, 2007, 11:03

JOPLIN, MO -- The SBU men and women’s cross country team travelled to Joplin, MO this weekend to compete in the Missouri Southern Stampede. The race drew in over 600 college runners within the two races not to mention over 1,000 high school runners. The college race had runners from Junior college up to Division I powerhouse Arkansas. Overall there were 36 teams in each race.

The SBU men’s cross country team placed 8th out of 36 teams. SBU had 14 total runners run at MSSU and 12 of those runners run their best times on this course of their career. "We had some great individual races but we have to come together more as a team in these bigger races. We just had too many runners in between our top five. I expected better on the team scoring but I cannot ask them to do anything more than run the best and that is what the guys did. We ran well for this early in the season, we are aiming for the end of the season. " The men where led by Junior Michael Pierce, who recorded the fastest time by any runner in SBU history on the MSSU course. His time for the 8k (5mile) course was 24:44, which placed him ninth. Pierce was the top runner of any D-2 (and MIAA) runner at the meet. "Michael run up to his potential today, he will only get better as the year goes on. I was very proud of him today."

(9) Michael Pierce 24:44

(35) Jeremy Glassmaker 25:29

(63) Cameron Ayers 25:59

68) Michael McCampbell 26:03

(100) Shawn Etzenhouser 26:24

(122) David Hackney 26:40

(132) Nathaniel Rogers 26:46

(136) Josh Rollins 26:53

(149) Vince Tichenor 27:10

(174) Jesse Kueker 27:34

(178) Caleb Loya 27:35

(213) Michael Franke 28:11

(247) Patrick Steffen 28:56

(256) Austin Robidou 29:17

Tyler Pulley 29:35

Phillip Peek 29:45

Andrew Denbow 30:40

Jeff Weseloh 30:59

The SBU women’s cross country team placed 5th out of 36 teams. The only teams that beat the women where Division I Tulsa University and three Division II schools that are ranked higher in the nation than them (Missouri Southern, UC San Diego and Pittsburg State). "The women ’s team ran great today; we had the same problem with getting separated a little too much. We did not want to get out over our heads and we paid for it. Some of our ladies said the runners were so tight they had to stop and walk on the first mile. We also had one of our runners fall twice on the course. This big of a race we almost had to go out hard just to be in the race. I did not want them to go out as hard as some of the other teams did. That was my decision and they listened. Conference and regional meets will be several times smaller. Overall they did great individually but we will have to pack it up come early November" The women were led by Sophomore Courtney Ayers who was also one of the fastest in SBU history on this course. Overall her time of 18:13 for the 5k (3.1mile) course placed her 17th overall out of 300 runners. "Courtney is at a new level this year; I have had trouble giving here hard enough workouts. She has surpassed my expectations at this point in the season. Just like Michael, she will get even better by the end of the year. She is a great leader on and off the course."

(17) Courtney Ayers 18:13

(45) Chelsea Strahm 18:47

(62) Kelsi Chowning 19:06

(72) Mallory Roth 19:13

(77) Alyssa Maggart 19:18

(118) Erica Whitfield 19:40

(125) Christine Flippin 19:47

(139) Andrea Owensby 19:58

(148) Rebecca Brigance 20:07

(171) Kristen Colon 20:29

(172) Kristin Dickerson 20:30

Bethany Mitchel 22:01

Both the men and women have next weekend off from racing but on September 29th travel to Stillwater, OK for the Oklahoma State University Jamboree. This meet will be a lot like MSSU there will be more Division I schools and great competition for both groups. The race usually attracts 200-300 runners in each race. "This meet will be another race with some tough competition, it is good for our athletes to get these test early in the season. I look very forward to the challenge and I know both teams feel the same way."