Senior Laura Syracuse will be counted on this season for her leadership and experience. |
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Cross Country Outlook
Aug. 31, 2004
CHARLOTTE, NC -
The Charlotte 49ers men's and women's cross country teams enter the 2004 season in the same predicament with tremendous depth and ability despite lacking experience.
The Men's Team...
The 2004 edition of the men's team is a young but talented team comprised mostly of sophomores and freshmen. The roster does feature some experienced leadership with senior Ed Schlichter and last year's team MVP junior Jamil Muhaimin.
Schlichter who paced the men's distance squad in outdoor track this past Spring finished second in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the C-USA Championship. "I'm excited to have the good numbers and the talent we have in place," Charlotte cross country coach Brad Herbster said as he enters his third season at Charlotte. "We have young athletes who can step in and add depth."
"Last year, we missed Ed a great deal since he redshirted," Herbster said. "His leadership is invaluable. We went to the C-USA championships last season with high expectations and fell very shy of those goals. It was frustrating for everyone."
One year removed from a C-USA championship, the 49ers placed 12th last year. This year, with Schlichter returning to join Muhaimin and the rest of the talented roster Charlotte should again be in contention.
"Ed is coming off a strong summer of training, and is a determined runner. He will surprise many people this season," Herbster said. "He raced very well at conference and earned his all conference honors with gutsy racing."
Muhaimin earned team MVP honors after recording the team's highest finish in 2004 C-USA Championships.
"Jamil has done everything right over the summer and it shows in the early practices" Herbster said. "Now hopefully he can continue to do that into the season, as we will need his experience in the big races."
Other returnees include sophomores Alex Stewart, Verun Tahiliani, and Ken Simeone. Stewart and Tahiliani are coming off excellent track seasons, and look to be strong contributors this season after making strides in their summer training. Both of them earned All American honors at this past summer's USATF Junior National meet at Texas A&M, placing seventh and eighth in the steeplechase.
"Verun and Alex both have had good summers of training and look to make a major impact this season," Herbster said.
Sophomore Russell Slade is also expected to be a factor in the top five scoring for the 49ers.
"Russell has a lot of talent and is competitive," Herbster stated. "The key will be keeping him healthy this season."
The program welcomes six talented newcomers to their roster. Nick Sunseri, Ryan Jank, Matt Hipps, David Guerdan and Kyle Riggins are all expected to contribute right away.
Sunseri from Raleigh, North Carolina, was a top cross country athlete at Cardinal Gibbons High School. Jank, a Spartanburg, South Carolina's Dorman High graduate, was the state champion in the 3200 meters his senior year.
Rounding out the men's team are redshirt sophomore Matt Yost, and middle distance runners Riaan Lourens and Derek Smit. Smit had a long summer of chemotherapy treatments after he was diagnosed with cancer in the spring.
"Derek is doing much better and is a huge inspiration to the team," Herbster said.
Herbster expects big things from the men's team this season.
"The men's team has a good nine to ten guys I feel pretty confident can do something," Herbster said. "With this much talent it is important to control practices so that we are not leaving our race at practice. I think Ed can make a run at qualifying for the national championships if things go well."
The Women's Team...
The 49ers women's cross country team, like the men, will be young. With new talent and some experienced returnees, the team feels confident that they can improve on last year's fourth-place finish in C-USA.
"I think top two in the C-USA Championship is within our reach," Herbster said. "We have depth now even though All-Conference USA senior captain Cassie Ficken will be redshirting this season. We plan to redshirt Cassie this year to allow her to continue to develop her already impressive abilities. Despite Ficken redshirting, I feel comfortable with the eight to ten women, any one of whom could be in our top seven. It's a good problem for a coach to have."
The team will be led by sophomore Tsehaye Dagnachew, who competed in last spring's NCAA track and field regional championship steeplechase. Dagnachew was a consistent performer for the 49ers last year, placing second among 49er women in five races, she also had a good showing at the C-USA Cross Country Championships with a 23rd-place finish.
Also stepping into leadership roles are juniors Andria Craig and Jane Daniels. Craig continues to improve and turned in a great summer of training. Daniels is a transfer from Bradley University.
"Andria Craig performed well for us last Spring and continues to improve," Herbster said. "Jane Daniels finished 38th last year at the midwest cross country regional championship and can make an immediate impact in our top three this season."
Big things this season are also expected from sophomore Amelia Slagle, a consistent top five performer last season.
"Amelia has such talent and drive it is amazing," Herbster said. "Keeping Amelia healthy last year was a tough thing to do at times, but now after a phenomenal summer of training, she should make a big run for the top three."
Senior Liz Smith is also expected to be a consistent top five finisher for the 49ers this fall.
"She really worked hard over the summer and it will show this fall," Herbster said.
Other returnees include seniors Laura Syracuse and Claire Shepherd, junior Marenika Wisdom, and sophomore Lashika Robinson.
Three freshmen, Summer Graham, Jenna Kohnke, and Ciara Delgado, join the women's cross country roster and they are expected to make an immediate impact.
Summer Graham was named MVP for North Carolina 1-A high school outdoor track and field this past spring.
"Summer has a lot of talent and getting her in an environment with other good runners will help her excel at the college level. "
Kohnke and Delgado will give added depth to the distance roster.
Charlotte also welcomes Wake Forest transfer sophomore Candace Hitchcock.
"Overall, we are very solid up front and in the middle of the pack" Herbster said. "I look forward to seeing if we can get a couple of women to nationals this year."
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