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Men's XC No. 4, Women's XC receives votes in NAIA Preseason Poll
By Matt Green
KANSAS CITY -- The Shorter University men's cross country team assumed the No. 4 ranking and its women's cross country squad received 77 votes in their respective NAIA Cross Country Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll, which the NAIA released on Wednesday.
The No. 4 preseason national ranking is the highest ever for the Hawks, who are coming off a program-best 10th place finish at last year's national championship meet.
The Lady Hawks will take to the course without the services of five-time individual national champion and two-time defending NAIA cross country national champion Justyna Mudy for the first time in three years.
Each team will rely on several seasoned veterans to carry overall young rosters as Shorter hopes to send both teams to the NAIA Cross Country National Championship for the first time since 2009.
On the men's side, familiar faces Eliud Ng'etich, Peter Limo, Allen O'Neal and Nicolas Toscan return to the course hoping to keep the program on its upward trend. Ng'etich, a junior from Eldoret, Kenya, is Shorter's top returning national finisher after his 36th place individual finish at the national championship meet in 2010.
Stephenson is excited about his wealth of newcomers, several of which are experienced transfers that can contribute immediately.
Raymond Dominguez and Carlos Perez come to Shorter from San Bernadino Community College in California with solid numbers on their respective resumes. Dominguez is a former JUCO State Championship runner-up in cross while Perez posted a 5k personal record of 14:51 in 2009.
Evans Tanui, a Kenyan that has been clocked at 8:35 in the 3k in high school, Daniel Sorenson, a transfer from McPherson College, was an NAIA All-American in the steeplechase (9:03) and Cory Cown of Grayson High School boasts a 4:36 mile and 16:36 5k.
Stephenson is also high on Derek Douglas of Hiram High School, who the coach says has already developed into a team leader, and has high hopes for Joseph Land of Sonoraville High.
"More than any team I have ever coached, the men have a link spiritually that is growing with every workout," Stephenson, a four-time Southern States Athletic Conference Cross Country Coach of the Year, said. "Keep watching this team and you are going to see something special."
The Lady Hawks have plenty of production to replace in Mudy, but have the talent to challenge for an SSAC title later in the fall.
Senior Sarah Massey had an excellent 2010 season in both cross country and track and is Shorter's highest returning national finisher after she placed 85th in last fall's national championship meet.
Massey returns to the course with veterans Chantelle Deacon, Katie Rutledge and Shea Spicher, who helped lead Shorter to a second place finish at the SSAC Championships in 2010.
Stephenson will unleash three transfers, two high school stars and a track and field convert in 2011.
Rachel McDaniel comes to Shorter from Spokane Community College and was a JUCO national champion in the 800 meters. Cassadee Ainsworth transfers in from Georgia Tech and Bre Badie comes to the Lady Hawk program from Darton College.
Hannah Turner begins her collegiate career from LaFayette High School, where she was the Valedictorian and posted a personal record of 21:24 in the 5k. Ashley Logan recorded a 20:45 PR at Pickens High School and Sha'Doris Godwin, who starred for the Shorter track and field team that placed third at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championship in May, will try her hand on the cross country course and has already drawn praise from Stephenson for her positive, team-first attitude.
"The women's team is really focused on serving each other through Christ," Stephenson said. "I am excited to see where this attitude leads them athletically."
Both teams open the season on Sept. 2 at the Labor Day Covered Bridge Open held in Boone, N.C.
