Cross Country Teams Ready For Sun Belt Championships

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee men's cross country team is picked fifth, and the Lady Raiders are predicted to finish 10th in a pre-championship poll of Sun Belt coaches. The 2004 Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships will be held at Rebsamen Golf Course in Little Rock, Ark., Saturday. The men's 8,000-meter race will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the women's 5,000-meter race at 11 a.m. Middle Tennessee coach Dean Hayes isn't predicting a championship for his teams, but the veteran coach does anticipate both squads being more competitive and picking up more points than last season when the Blue Raiders finished eighth and the Lady Raiders were 10th. "Last year we had guys hurt and we were not full strength," Hayes said. "I'm looking for a big improvement out of the men. I hope we can continue to run well and we will take our chances on what happens. On the women's side, this is really the first time we have had expectations of doing well in the meet and that's a credit to the way the girls have trained and improved this season." Middle Tennessee was without four of its top five runners at last year's Sun Belt meet in Bowling Green, Ky., but Hayes has a full arsenal in 2004 and the healthy return of senior Geoffrey Lagat offers hope for a strong push. Lagat won the Sun Belt individual title as a freshman and sophomore in 2000 and 2001, respectively, and he finished second in 2002 before sitting out last year with an early season injury. Lagat has performed well in meets this season and has finished 11th in the final two regular-season meets. "We were sad by the fact (Lagat) didn't get to run last year but maybe there was a reason for it," Hayes said. "I think the competition is tougher this year but we are better as a team. When we have been coming in we are coming in well together. I hope that's the case Saturday and that our group is toward the front of the pack." While Lagat has enjoyed success at the conference meet in each of his three previous appearances, two newcomers are key reasons Middle Tennessee is hoping for a strong finish out of its men's team. Derek Dell and Jonathan Guillou consistently have been the Blue Raiders' top finishers all season, while Carlos Gonzalez and Steve Safstrom have been steady contributors. Sara Lunning, Marjorie Gombert and Miranda Gallaway, all newcomers, have led the Lady Raiders and returner Kishara George has been steady down the stretch. 2004 Sun Belt Conference
Pre-Championship Cross Country Coaches Poll
MEN
1 South Alabama 89 (3)
2 Western Kentucky 87 (3)
3 Louisiana-Lafayette 81 (3)
4 North Texas 77 (1)
5 Middle Tennessee 53
6 Arkansas-Little Rock 50
7 Arkansas State 43
8 New Orleans 29
9 Florida International 22
10 New Mexico State 19
WOMEN 1 Western Kentucky 100 (10)
2 North Texas 83
3 Arkansas-Little Rock 80
4 Florida International 64
5 New Orleans 49
6 Louisiana-Lafayette 46
6 New Mexico State 46
8 Arkansas State 37
9 South Alabama 35
10 Middle Tennessee 10
first-place votes in parenthesis

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

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