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2003 Season Outlook The Lady Jacket cross country team has established itself to be one of the NAIA's elite programs year in and year out. Cedarville has the nucleus to be near the top again in 2003 with high hopes of defending their NCCAA and American Mideast Conference championships. A strong senior class, four of which have been All-Americans in the past, will set the pace. It has been that kind of leadership that has carried the program throughout the years. "It is important to have veteran runners on the team," stated head coach Elvin King, who started the women's program in 1980. "They provide an example to the younger athletes in many areas. We think we can be very competitive this year if we can stay healthy."
Sarah (Roberts) Mark returns for her fourth season as a three-time NCCAA All-American. She is the defending American Mideast Conference champion in guiding CU to their third straight league title. She was the NCCAA runner-up and was an NAIA All-American last spring in the outdoor 3,000 meter steeplechase. Jennifer Tetrick is in her third and final season of cross country after playing two seasons of volleyball. She led the Jackets to their second straight NCCAA championship by winning the individual title in 2002. She is a two-time NCCAA All-American and also earned NAIA All-America honors in 2001 on CU's NAIA title squad. Kim (McNeilance) Fleck joins Mark as one of two four-year runners at Cedarville. She is coming off of her best season to date when she finished 3rd in the NCCAA for All-America recognition and placed 6th in the league meet for All-AMC honors.
Another senior is Ann-Marie Wiggins, who enters her second year with the Jackets. She was an NCCAA All-American at Northwest Nazarene as a sophomore prior to transferring. The other senior is Alicia Elder who is in her first season of cross country. Melissa Mattner is the lone junior. She ran the 800 and 1,500 meters for the track team last year and this is her first cross country season. Sophomores Sarah Bailey and Kathy Scott both saw varsity action as rookies last fall. Classmate Allison Hope is a transfer from Calvin College and Kris Lang, another sophomore, has been at CU for two years but begins her first cross country campaign. Only two freshmen appear on the roster. Susan Knaus and Melissa Wysong both enjoyed notable high school careers and have the ability to make an immediate contribution. There are few changes to the Lady Jacket schedule in 2003 which opens on Aug. 29 at the Shawnee State Invitational. They will run three times on their home course at John Bryan State Park in nearby Yellow Springs - the Wittenberg Invitational on Sept. 13, their own Friendship Invitational on Sept. 20, and the annual NCCAA Nationals on Nov. 15. The NAIA Nationals moves to Louisville, KY this year on Nov. 22 and CU gets an early look at the national course during the Louisville Classic on Sept. 27. The Ohio Intercollegiate makes its usual stop in Delaware, OH on Oct. 10 and Saint Vincent will host the AMC Championships in Latrobe, PA on Nov. 1. Cedarville also attempts to defend their Wilmington Classic title on Oct. 17. | |||||||||||||||||
