Horned Frog Harriers Expect Improvement
8/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 28, 2003
The TCU men's and women's cross country squads expect strong improvements over their performances from last season as they begin preparations for the 2003 season. Both squads are much deeper and more talented than the 2002 edition, when each unit competed with just five healthy runners at the conference meet.
"Last year, we just didn't have the depth necessary to compete at the level we want to," said TCU cross country coach Derek Koonts. "We have addressed those issues this year and expect to be much more competitive in our meets. I expect the women to challenge for the conference title while the men could be a top five program in the league."
The TCU women should make a run for the conference title after a fifth place finish at the Conference USA meet a year ago. After placing ninth at the South Central Regional Meet, the TCU women harriers could make their presence felt when that NCAA berths are on the line at the region meet this fall.
"Talent-wise, this year's squad is on an equal footing with the top teams in Conference USA and in the region," said Koonts. "It comes down to having them ready on race day. We really don't have any holes or big gaps between our top five to seven runners.
"Although it's still a very young team with just one senior and one junior, the competition will push them all and that bodes well for our chances," continued Koonts. "If we stay on course, we have a chance to compete not only for the conference title, but for a berth at the NCAA Championships, something no TCU cross country squad has ever accomplished."
The women should be led by junior Mary Kinyanjui and sophomore Alayne Thompson. Kinyanjui joined the TCU track program in the spring after competing at Butler County (Kan.) Community College. She placed third at the 2001 national junior college cross country championships and was the Conference USA outdoor track champion at 5,000 meters. Thompson was the Conference USA cross country Freshman of the Year in 2002. She earned second team all-league honors after placing sixth at the conference meet and earned all-South Central Region honors after placing 23rd at the regional meet in Waco.
"Mary and Alayne give us a solid one-two punch at the top of the lineup, although neither one is a clear-cut number one runner," said Koonts. "Alayne did a great job last year, taking a leadership role as a freshman. This year's freshmen will not have that same pressure on them that she went through a year ago."
The Frogs received an added boost when Ami Butler transferred to TCU from Oklahoma State for her senior season.
"Ami was the number two runner for a solid program at Oklahoma State," said Koonts. "She missed qualifying individually for the nationals by just one place a year ago. She's a veteran runner, so we're looking for a strong performance from her this season."
The Frogs return a pair of sophomores in Heather Isbell and Katrina Zielinski who had solid freshman campaigns in 2002. Isbell finished 22nd and Zielinski was 23rd at the conference meet a year ago as the Frogs' second and third place finishers.
"Both Heather and Katrina had good freshman seasons," said Koonts. "They gained a lot of experience and, with that year under their belts, are ready to make marked improvements. Both could be in the running for all-conference accolades by the end of the season."
A pair of freshmen distance runners in McKale Davis and Calandra Stewart will challenge for the top five positions this fall. Davis is from Woodland High in Fairfax, Oklahoma, while Stewart is from Houston's Cy-Falls High School.
"McKale is a diamond in the rough," said Koonts. "She has a chance to match what Alayne accomplished as a freshman last season. They have a lot of similarities. Calandra was the 5-A state champion in cross country but hasn't even scratched the surface of her capabilities. She has a lot of potential that is untapped at this point in her career."
Sophomore Katie Cosgrove and freshman Pattie Parker round out the squad. Cosgrove ran in the number five slot for the Frogs a year ago, while Parker, who hails from Harlingen, Texas, will provide depth.
"This is the most talent we've had in cross country since the 2000 group won the Western Athletic Conference title," said Koonts. "We match up well with that squad that owns TCU's lone cross country conference title. (Three-time defending Conference USA champion) Marquette and South Florida look to be the teams to beat at the conference meet again," continued Koonts. "But I think we can be right there with them. Arkansas, Baylor, SMU, Texas and Texas A&M are probably the top teams in the region, but again, we have a chance to be in the mix."
The TCU men are also looking for better things this year after placing ninth at the Conference USA championships a year ago and, due to injuries, were unable to compete for the team title at the South Central Regional meet.
"Our goal will be to finish in the top five at the conference meet, which would be significantly better than last year," said Koonts. "We just didn't have the bodies to compete last year, but have more strength in numbers with a dozen athletes expected to battle for spots on the travel squad this year."
Track all-American Jackson Langat is the cream of the TCU men's cross country crop. A junior, Langat earned second team all-conference accolades in cross country last fall after placing ninth at the C-USA Championships. Although the distance is a little longer in cross country than Langat's best events on the track (he scored at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships at 800 meters), he will be a challenger for the individual crown at the conference meet this year.
Junior Steven Lenney and sophomores Brad Maciulewicz and Case Martinec were the Frogs' two, three, and four runners respectively at the conference meet a year ago and were the Frogs' only three competitors at the regional meet.
"Lenney keeps progressing and could be an all-conference performer this fall," said Koonts. "Maciulewicz ran well in cross country, was injured during the track season and picked it up again this summer with some strong workouts. Martinec struggled in making the jump to the collegiate level but has worked extremely hard and hopes to reap the benefits of that hard work this fall."
Raita Yamanouchi and Johnathan Bundren are the only other two returning harriers from last season's squad. Yamanouchi, the lone senior, is the elder statesman on the squad, while Bundren will compete as a redshirt freshman.
Coach Koonts will welcome a half-dozen freshmen to the squad this fall. The newcomers include Christopher Benassi, David Harris, Wes Johnson, Alex Morris, J.T. Reinert and Joshua Sharon.
"Morris, who is from Springfield, Missouri, Johnson from San Marcos, Texas and Reinert from Fayetteville, Arkansas, all are talented and could make an immediate impact as point scorers for us as freshmen," said Koonts. "Harris is from Jenks, Oklahoma, the same program that gave us Alayne Thompson. He could help us as well. Benassi, who hails from Roswell, Georgia, and Sharon, who is from Killeen, are probably a little further away right now and could be redshirted as freshmen."
As was the case a year ago, Koonts expects Charlotte, Marquette, Cincinnati and DePaul to feature the top teams in Conference USA again this fall.
"There's no reason to think we couldn't be right there in that next group," said Koonts. "As is the case on the women's side we're still very young, but we at least have some numbers to make our practices more competitive, and that competition should make us stronger on Saturdays."
