Season Preview: Cross Country Teams Chasing A10 Titles in 2005
Aug. 28, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte cross country teams were both picked to finish near the front of the pack in their inaugural Atlantic 10 Conference seasons, and feature a solid core of returnees on both the men's and women's sides.
The men's team was selected to finish second in the Atlantic 10's preseason coaches poll, while the 49ers women's team was chosen third.
While second- and third-place finishes would be impressive in the school's first year in the league, each team feels it has the talent to press the traditional league leaders for the championship.
MEN'S TEAM PREVIEW
In 2004, Ed Schlichter (now assistant coach for the 49ers) was chosen as the Conference USA Male Athlete of the Year in leading the men's team to a runner-up finish. But despite his loss due to graduation, the 49ers men's team returns a pair of All-Conference performers and a seasoned group of returnees that has coach Brad Herbster excited.
"Our main objective on the men's side this year is to win the Atlantic 10 Championship and place in the top five at the Southeast Region meet," said coach Herbster. "We have very good depth on the men's team and our top five will be competitive at the major meets. As a team we must make the leap forward to the national level."
The team's best-ever finish at a Regional was seventh in 2000. The team was ninth in 2002, the same season the 49ers captured their last Conference title. "We have what I believe is the strongest top 10 in school history. This group can accomplish great things."
Looking to fill Schlichter's shoes are senior Jamil Muhaimin and sophomore Nick Sunseri, both of whom earned all-league honors in 2004. Sophomore Ryan Jank was a USATF Junior All-American in the 5,000 during outdoor season.
While just a sophomore, Sunseri already has a wealth of experience. In his freshman season, Sunseri became the first-ever 49ers athlete to compete at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships last March in St. Galmier-St. Etienne, France. Competing for Team Canada, the dual citizen ran against the world's best junior-level cross country runners.
The team returns great depth, and any one of the top four could step up to lead the team at a given meet. These key returnees are senior Muhaimin (15th at C-USA, 46th at NCAA SE Regional), sophomore Sunseri (13th at C-USA, 36th at SE Regional, World Cross Country Championships), sophomore Jank (USATF Jr. All-American) and sophomore Matt Hipps (17th at C-USA, 6th in 10,000 at outdoor meet).
"This is going to be one of those years where the top four and even five athletes could switch up each weekend. But having good depth is a positive. Junior Ken Simeone, senior Russell Slade and redshirt sophomore Verun Tahiliani lead a solid corps of experienced returnees that will challenge for the top seven."
Five true freshmen join the returnees to form a deep squad. Chase Eckard and Adu Dentamo head the incoming class and were two of the most highly-recruited prep milers in North Carolina. Eckard was ranked as one of the nation's top 1,600-meter runners by Dyestat online and is a two-time state champion with one indoor and one outdoor title to his credit. "Chase has great drive and determination, and we look forward to working with him," says Herbster. "Dentamo will impact our team in a positive way," says Herbster. "Adu brings speed and an incredible natural ability to the team." Matt Dobler and Jordan Olsen are "two very solid in-state performers, who along with James Maneval will add depth to our roster. Matt really performed well in cross country, placing in the top 10 in the state. Impressive."
WOMEN'S TEAM PREVIEW
2004 was a banner year for the Charlotte women's distance programs. During the cross country season, the 49ers had multiple All-Conference performers for the first time since 2000 and 10th time in school history. Sophomore Tsehaye Dagnachew (7th) and junior transfer Jane Daniels (15th) helped lead the 49ers women's team to a seventh-place finish.
However, the 49ers women's team was picked third in the preseason Atlantic 10 poll, in part due to the return of redshirt star Cassie Ficken. She put her name all over the Charlotte Track record books last winter and spring, and became the program's first-ever indoor distance All-American (male or female). Ficken was just four seconds away from the school's first-ever national championship, in any sport, and ended up earning her first All-American award in the 3,000-meter run at the NCAA Championships in Arkansas.
Ficken was chosen as Conference USA's Female Athlete of the Year, with the highest finish of any league athlete at the NCAA's, and was also C-USA Athlete of the Meet for her performances at the league indoor championship. She was a three-time C-USA indoor titlist, earning two individual and one relay championship to lead the 49ers women's team to their best-ever finish at a conference championship - second place. She also finished 12th nationally after racing to a 16:15 in the 5,000m at the NCAA Outdoor Regionals.
On paper, the women's team has the potential to upgrade their 7th place conference finish last season to an A-10 Championship this time around. Coach Herbster feels that the team is strong and will be a threat for the conference crown in their inaugural A-10 season.
"Our team will be strong contenders for sure," Herbster said. "Cassie Ficken red shirted the cross country season in 2004 and Charlotte will have many returning athletes, but our additions should allow us to make a bid for the conference title. If things go really well, we could make a run for an at-large bid to nationals."
The women's team returns four of the top five from a year ago, including Daniels and Dagnachew. Dagnachew ended the track season ranked 21st nationally in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, after racing to a 10:21 and earning her first conference title. Daniels performed well during the track season, clocking a 9:46 3,000-meter time at the Notre Dame Invitational.
But Ficken should lead the team this year, coming off a stellar 2005.
"Cassie wants to accomplish a great deal this season and she is capable of surprising a lot of people this fall," said Herbster. "I believe that Cassie, Jane and Tsehaye can run in any team's top seven in the country. Those three are going to have great seasons. The question is, can our four and five athletes keep the gap closed tight enough to find success at the national level?"
Veteran returnees include Amelia Slagle (ran an 18:02 5k and placed 9th in the 10k at the C-USA meet), Summer Graham (9th in the 1,500 at C-USA) and Jenna Kohnke.
A crop of six freshmen compliment the returnees, led by Aja Jackson. She raced to an AAU Championship in the 800 last summer, clocking in at 2:12, and won the 800 and 1,600-meter 4A North Carolina championships. She ranks eighth on the all-time N.C. high school ranking list for the 800. Another state titlist joining the team is Stephanie Snyder, the N.C. 3A champ in the 800 (2:18.93). She finished third in the 1,600 with a time of 5:15.30 at states. Liana Blue, who was seventh in the steeplechase at the 2005 USATF Junior Olympics, should help add depth to the roster. Also looking to make a contribution in their first seasons for the 49ers will be Jessica Schlegel, Erin McCauley, and Tiffany McClain.
2005 SCHEDULE
The 49ers open the season on Sept. 3 on their home course in McAlpine Park with the Charlotte Relay. The event pits teams of two runners competing back-to-back, with the men running a 5K and the women running 3K.
The following weekend, the teams travel to South Carolina for the Clemson Invitational, which featured over 75 runners in competitive fields on both the men's and women's side in 2004. That meet is followed by the nationally-recognized Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C. (Sept. 24). Last year the 49ers competed in the Nike Race of Champions, the highest level of competition which featured a number of nationally-ranked teams, with the women capturing 12th and the men finishing 13th overall.
Lehigh's 32nd Annual Paul Short Run (October 1) is annually filled with national-level teams and runners, with 250 competitors.
On October 15, the 49ers will get a sneak preview of the NCAA Championship course when they race at the Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Indiana. The best teams in the NCAA take advantage of the opportunity to get the "lay of the land" on the championship course.
That will be followed up by Charlotte's first-ever Atlantic 10 Cross Country Championships at Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau Park. The 49ers will be taking aim at this year's host school, La Salle, which captured both the men's and women's titles last year.
Returning home to North Carolina, the 49ers will compete at the NCAA Southeast Regional in Greenville (Nov. 12) and are looking to earn berths to the NCAA Championships (November 21).
|
|
 |
