Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Cross Country Set to Start 2016 Season
9/1/2016 12:00:00 PM | Track & Field/Cross Country
The Team is Competing in Memphis Saturday Night
MURFREESBORO, TENN.--The Middle Tennessee men's and women's cross country teams are gearing up for their upcoming 2016 season with high expectations.
Despite an abundance of injuries in 2015 for the men's team, and inexperience on the women's team, both sides managed to finish second in the Conference USA Championships last season.
According to the C-USA Coaches Poll, both teams for Middle Tennessee are projected to finish second this season. The USTFCCCA has the Blue Raiders ranked fourth in the South Region behind Ole Miss, Florida State, and Auburn.
The MT men's squad returns five from last season's team, four of the five finished in the top-20 at the C-USA Championships in Bowling Green, Ky. In 2015, the men's team placed first in three of its five regular season meets.
The team is returning Hillary Rono and Geoffry Cheruiyot, both placed first individually in meets last year. Shadrack Matelong, Amos Cheruiyot, and Kigen Chemadi are also back for the Blue Raiders. The addition of transfer of Sampson Laari bodes well for MT, as he finished fifth in the outdoor 800 meter in the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championship last year. Geoffry Cheruiyot also qualified for the NCAA Championships in track last season.
The women's squad returns four runners from last year, including two seniors in Hannah Maina and Josephine Kiptebeny. In 2014, Maina was only the second woman in Blue Raider history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Kiptebeny placed first in two of the five regular season meets in 2015, the Front Runner and Powerade Invitationals, both in Chattanooga.
The women's squad also returns Agnes Abu, and Rhema Cheruiyot, while adding four talented freshmen, Susan Aneno, Rachel Kigen, Sharon Kibiwott, and Abike Egbeniyi. Aneno, Kiptebeny, and Abu all had impressive track seasons last year, as all three qualified for the NCAA Championships.
The wealth of experience has Associate Head Coach, Keith Vroman excited about the upcoming season.
"This year we're a little more mature on both sides," said Vroman. "Training went well this summer, and coming into this season we're in an a lot better position than we were last year because everyone is excited and has cross country experience."
The Blue Raiders are slated to compete in five regular season meets and start their year at the Brooks Twilight Classic in Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 3. The men's team placed first in their two meets to open the 2015 season, the Belmont Opener and Powerade Invitational.
The women's team placed second at Powerade Invitational in Chattanooga along with placing first and second individually. The men dominated last year's race, finishing one, two, three individually and first as a team.
Sept. 17 Middle Tennessee travels to Nashville, to compete in the Vanderbilt Invitational. The Blue Raiders make their first out-of-state appearance on Oct. 1 when they travel to Louisville, Ky., to race in the Greater Louisville Classic.
MT will finish the regular season back in Chattanooga to compete in the UTC Front Runner Invitational on Oct. 15. In last year's Front Runner Invitational both the men and the women finished in first place. On the men's side, five MT runners finished in the top 10.
To start postseason competition, MT takes on the rest of C-USA in Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 29 and will make a trip to Tallahassee, Fla. for the NCAA Regional Nov. 11. The 2016 NCAA Championships will be held at Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 19.
Despite an abundance of injuries in 2015 for the men's team, and inexperience on the women's team, both sides managed to finish second in the Conference USA Championships last season.
According to the C-USA Coaches Poll, both teams for Middle Tennessee are projected to finish second this season. The USTFCCCA has the Blue Raiders ranked fourth in the South Region behind Ole Miss, Florida State, and Auburn.
The MT men's squad returns five from last season's team, four of the five finished in the top-20 at the C-USA Championships in Bowling Green, Ky. In 2015, the men's team placed first in three of its five regular season meets.
The team is returning Hillary Rono and Geoffry Cheruiyot, both placed first individually in meets last year. Shadrack Matelong, Amos Cheruiyot, and Kigen Chemadi are also back for the Blue Raiders. The addition of transfer of Sampson Laari bodes well for MT, as he finished fifth in the outdoor 800 meter in the NCAA Division I Track & Field Championship last year. Geoffry Cheruiyot also qualified for the NCAA Championships in track last season.
The women's squad returns four runners from last year, including two seniors in Hannah Maina and Josephine Kiptebeny. In 2014, Maina was only the second woman in Blue Raider history to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Kiptebeny placed first in two of the five regular season meets in 2015, the Front Runner and Powerade Invitationals, both in Chattanooga.
The women's squad also returns Agnes Abu, and Rhema Cheruiyot, while adding four talented freshmen, Susan Aneno, Rachel Kigen, Sharon Kibiwott, and Abike Egbeniyi. Aneno, Kiptebeny, and Abu all had impressive track seasons last year, as all three qualified for the NCAA Championships.
The wealth of experience has Associate Head Coach, Keith Vroman excited about the upcoming season.
"This year we're a little more mature on both sides," said Vroman. "Training went well this summer, and coming into this season we're in an a lot better position than we were last year because everyone is excited and has cross country experience."
The Blue Raiders are slated to compete in five regular season meets and start their year at the Brooks Twilight Classic in Memphis, Tenn., Sept. 3. The men's team placed first in their two meets to open the 2015 season, the Belmont Opener and Powerade Invitational.
The women's team placed second at Powerade Invitational in Chattanooga along with placing first and second individually. The men dominated last year's race, finishing one, two, three individually and first as a team.
Sept. 17 Middle Tennessee travels to Nashville, to compete in the Vanderbilt Invitational. The Blue Raiders make their first out-of-state appearance on Oct. 1 when they travel to Louisville, Ky., to race in the Greater Louisville Classic.
MT will finish the regular season back in Chattanooga to compete in the UTC Front Runner Invitational on Oct. 15. In last year's Front Runner Invitational both the men and the women finished in first place. On the men's side, five MT runners finished in the top 10.
To start postseason competition, MT takes on the rest of C-USA in Charlotte, N.C., Oct. 29 and will make a trip to Tallahassee, Fla. for the NCAA Regional Nov. 11. The 2016 NCAA Championships will be held at Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 19.
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