TCU opens season at Bear Relays
8/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 30, 2006
FORT WORTH, Texas - The TCU men's and women's cross country teams open the 2006 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Baylor Relays in Waco, Texas. The meet will be held at the Baylor Intramural Fields and will commence with the women's race at 6:30 p.m., followed by the men's race at 7 p.m. The meet will not be your traditional cross country meet, as each team running the race will divide up into teams of two individuals, who will each run a leg of the race. After the first individual finishes their leg, they will pass the baton to their teammate for the final leg.
A New Era
The Bear Relays will mark the beginning of a new era of TCU cross country, as Eric Heins begins his first season at the helm of the program. The 2006 season has also brought a talented crop of freshmen. On the women's side, the Horned Frogs added six freshmen to the team, while the men's team added one.
Men's Team
Despite losing 2005 NCAA qualifier Kip Kangogo, the men's team returns a plethora of experience with eight of 10 members being upperclassmen. With an experienced and talented team, the Horned Frogs are primed to challenge the top teams in the Mountain West Conference.
After posting successful sophomore campaigns, juniors Matt Manly, Steven Solazzo and Cody Cook will be counted on for their consistent performances. Manly, Solazzo and Cook will pair with incoming freshman Festus Kigen to help carry the men's squad.
Kigen, a native of Eldoret, Kenya, joins the Horned Frogs as the only freshman on the men's side. Although he is just a freshman, Kigen has loads of experience and enough talent to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Women's Team
Contrary to the men's team, the women's team is very young with just four upperclassmen and five freshmen. With the influx inexperience, TCU will lean on the experience of seniors McKale Davis and Calandra Stewart. The development of a talented freshmen class will also be important as the Horned Frogs progress through the season.
Carlene Mayfield and Danielle Selner, who were both two of the top high school seniors last year, lead the talented freshmen class. Mayfield placed fourth at the 5A state cross country meet in 2005, while Selner placed second at the same meet.
Mayfield and Selner will be looked upon to team with Stewart and Davis to help carry the Horned Frogs.
After qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2004, Heins has high expectations for Stewart to return to the NCAA Championships.
Players Mentioned
