2009 SEASON PREVIEW

WOMEN

Megan O’Grady is the lone senior of the Lancers Cross Country team. O’Grady returns after a strong 2008 season to lead a young but talented Lancer squad. Jade Steinberg from Yankton and Brittany Fischer formerly from McCook Central in Salem will add experience and leadership to the team. Newcomers Autumn Biermann from Wisner, Nebraska, a 13 th place finisher in the Nebraska State Cross Country Meet, and Brooke Fischer a 5:30 1600 meter runner from Sioux Falls Christian and school record holder in the 1600, 3200 and a member of Sioux Falls Christian’s 4 x 800 meter relay will lead the way for the newcomers. The other newcomers are Kiley Beste, Katie Breuer, Theresa Hendrickson, Brittany Mikkelsen, Meghan Nelson, and transfer Jodi Johnson. Others that figure to make an impact on the team are Becka Jensen, Megan Poppe, Alicia Pick, Samantha Gillen, and Raelynn Coldwell. This group promises to be one of the best in Mount Marty history and should improve as the season progresses and be respectable in the GPAC Conference.

MEN

Titus Kosgei will again be the leader for the Mount Marty men. Kosgei came to Mount Marty from Eldoret, Kenya. Kosgei has three indoor school records including the mile, 1,000 meter run, and the 800 meter run. He also holds outdoor school records in the 1,500 meter run and the 800 meter run. Kosgei qualified for the NAIA National Indoor Meet in the mile and the 800 meter run last year in which he placed ninth. He qualified for the NAIA National Outdoor Meet in the 800 meter run. Another veteran that should bring valuable experience to the team is Tyler Smit a sophomore from Lennox, SD who was the second runner on the team last season and qualified for NAIA Outdoor National Meet in the Marathon. Other veterans that look to have an impact on the team are Chris Riley who is a transfer from Dakota State University and Mitchell Zenk from Lemars, Iowa. Newcomers that look to make an impact on the team are Damian Vacin from Sergeant Bluff, Iowa. Vacin holds the Sergeant Bluff-Luton High School 3200 meter run record. Also adding to the mix of newcomers is Tanner Venard of Sioux Falls O’Gorman High School and James Jensen of North Platte, Nebraska. This group works hard and looks to be much improved from last season.