[PeterParker]

2006 SCHEDULE

Sep 9, 2006 (10 a.m.) vs. Lou Onesty Invitational, Charlottesville, Va. ...................................1st Place
Sep 23, 2006 (12:20 p.m.) vs. Roy Griak Invitational, St. Paul, Minn. ..................................... MEN 14th, WOMEN 18th
Sep 30, 2006 (9:30 a.m.) vs. Greater Louisville Classic, Louisville, Ky................................... MEN 3rd, WOMEN 4th

Oct 14, 2006 (TBA) vs. Pre-Nationals, Terre Haute, Ind. ......................................................... MEN: 19th, WOMEN 31st
Oct 14, 2006 (5:30 p.m.) vs. VMI Invitational, Lexington, Va. ................................................
Oct 28, 2006 (TBA) vs. Big South Conference Championships, Charleston, S.C. ................... MEN 1st, WOMEN 1st

Nov 4, 2006 (9 a.m.) vs. Hokie Open, Blacksburg, Va. ..............................................................
Nov 11, 2006 (11 a.m.) vs. NCAA Division I SE Regionals ....................................................... MEN 7th, WOMEN 12th
Nov 20, 2006 (Noon) vs. NCAA Division I National Championships......................................... Josh McDougal 27th

***

I was wondering if anybody had info on any new recruits and the outlook for the team. I was just reading up on the William & Mary team (perenially the power from LU's region) and they added 7 XC guys to their roster with some significant accomplishments (and a kid from the 'Burg.) LU landed lightning in a bottle twice with the McDougal brothers; if they were able to land some decent prospects they could challenge W&M (that would be a cool to see the rise of an interstate rivalry between LU and W&M from an XC perspective.) Here's the info on the W&M team (posted because these guys always place a lot of guys in the top 30 of invitationals and other in-state meets that LU usually compete in.)

Men’s Track and Field Signs 14 for 2006-07

Two All-Americans Highlight Class of 2010

06/28/06 11:03AM

WILLIAMSBURG - The Tribe added to its stockpile of talent today with the announcement of the 14-member Class of 2010. Director of Track and Field Dan Stimson and Head Men’s Coach Alex Gibby have brought seven track and field specialists and seven cross country/distance runners to Williamsburg this year, with accomplishments including dozens of all-state honors and a national championship.

Ben Massam (Chatham, NJ) capped off a spectacular prep career two weekends ago by winning the inaugural 5,000m championships at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 14:48.73. Last fall, he finished second at the New Jersey Meet of Champions in cross country, and took seventh this spring in the 3,000m run at the Penn Relays with a time of 8:30.90. Jameson Bilsborrow (Coldwater, MI), one of the top six or seven milers in the nation, performed as expected at the Nike Nationals, earning All-American honors after finishing fifth in track and field’s signature race. He set his personal best in the mile one week earlier, winning the Midwest Meet of Champions with a time of 4:10.40. The 2006 Michigan indoor state champ at 1,600m, Bilsborrow enters the College holding the Michigan Division II state record for 800m, 1:53.63, and having run 3:58.60 for 1,500m.

Jeff Perrella (Westfield, NJ) made the Foot Locker Nationals in cross country after finishing seventh at the Northeast Regional, and finished third in the New Jersey Meet of Champions, right behind Massam. He returned the favor this spring, though, running ahead of Massam at the Penn Relays to finish sixth in the 3,000m championship. At nationals, Perella finished 12th in the 2-Mile championship; his time, when converted, marks out at 8:29.39 for 3,000m. Patterson Wilhelm (Lynchburg, VA) also competed in the 2-Mile, after a season which saw him take second in the indoor 1,600m at the Virginia AAA championships and earn two all-state nods outdoors, finishing sixth in the 1,600m and fourth in the 3,200m. In cross country, he took third at the state meet in 2004, and finished 21st at the Foot Locker South Regional that same year. He enters with prep bests of 4:14.89 for 1,600m and 9:17.36 for 3,200m.
Lewis Woodard (Charlotte, NC) starred at Providence Day School, winning consecutive NCISAA (private schools) 3A state championships and conference championships in cross country. He also outshined the field at the 2006 track championships, winning the 800m and 1,600m (in 4:18.97) and leading the state-title-winning 4x800m relay. Richard Morris (Burkeville, VA) was the Virginia AA indoor state champ at 3,200m and also earned all-state honors by finishing seventh at 1,600m. Morris took third in the Foot Locker South Regional Senior’s race, two weeks after finishing 15th at the state championships.

Sean Mahoney (Philadelphia, PA) enters William and Mary steeped in the running traditions of eastern Pennsylvania. He was third in the state in the mile this spring, and was invited to compete at the Penn Relays, taking 15th in the mile. His prep records include 4:16.15 for 1,600m and 8:57.7 for 3,000m. Alex Ball (Winchester, VA) will replenish the ranks of throwers for Coach Stimson as a shot putter and discus thrower. This spring, Ball won the region title in the discus, uncorking a monster throw of 167' 1" that was eleven feet beyond his previous best in the event. His throw in the discus also earned him an invitation to the Nike Nationals. In the state shot put championship, Ball again hit a personal record, throwing 52’ 5” to earn runner-up honors.

Andrew Bennett (Fredericksburg, VA) transfers in from the Naval Academy as a sprinter and jumper. A 2005 graduate of Colonial Forge, he earned all district, region, and state honors in 2005. He finished sixth in the 400m championship and fourth in the high jump, and carries personal records of 49.81 in the 400m and 6’ 4” in the high jump. Kiernan Lofland (Crozier, VA) is a stand-out pole vaulter from St. Christopher’s in Richmond. He set his personal best of 15’ 3” in a five-way meet in January, and was all league as a junior and senior, and all-state in 2005.

Martin Ross (Brentwood, TN) is a decathlete and hurdler, and won the Tennessee independent schools 110 hurdles state championship. That year he also took second in the state in the 300 hurdles, 4x400m relay, and decathlon. His best times include 14.50 in the 110 hurdles, 55.20 in the 400 hurdles, and 6,302 points in the decathlon. Chad Cochran (Centreville, VA) will join Lofland in the pole vault corps, and was all-state outdoors in 2005 (with a personal-best vault of 14 feet) and indoors in 2006.

Adam Gawne (Lyndonville, NY) and Brandon Oliver (Richmond, VA) round out the class and complement Ball in the throwing department. Oliver is a shot put specialist who has earned all-state honors in the past four state championships (indoor and outdoor), culminating with his performance in this year’s outdoor championship when he took third place with a personal record throw of 55’ 3”. Gawne ranked nationally this season with best throws in the 16-lbs hammer of 145’ 11” and the 12-lbs hammer of 161 feet.

EDIT: changed title when establishing this thread-PAmedic

[01LUGrad]

According to the team site, we added 3 freshman guys to the team for 2006.

Joshua Edmonds, Cooperstown, N.Y. ---From what I can tell, he is a great find. He finished 2nd in the 2005 NY Class D state XC championships with a time of 15:48. (Not too shabby!)

Amos Mburu, Thika, Kenya --- I can't find anything on him. Evidently Kenya doesn't have a great high school running database! From experience, both Pete and I can tell you that Tolsma won't bring over Kenyans unless they can make an impact. Stephen Githuka and Brian Kiprono helped us win the 1999 BS Championship (Stephen easily won the race).

Jordan Whitlock, Elmhurst, Ill. --- Not a whole lot on him either, but from what I gather, he went to the famed York High School in Elmhurst. They are widely regarded as being one of the best high school programs in the country. You can't really go wrong there!

So, throw in the returners, and we have the makings of another very successful year! (I hear those McDougal kids are pretty good.)

[01LUGrad]

Woah...I just saw something else. Coach Tolsma has added another assistant this year, Greg Jimmerson. He is a '98 graduate of Stanford and he can fly! He was or is sponsored by Nike and is a 23:30 8k guy (that's FAST for all of you non-runners out there). Maybe he can add a little to Josh and Jordan's training to push them over the top.

[BJWilliams]

Woah...I just saw something else. Coach Tolsma has added another assistant this year, Greg Jimmerson. He is a '98 graduate of Stanford and he can fly! He was or is sponsored by Nike and is a 23:30 8k guy (that's FAST for all of you non-runners out there). Maybe he can add a little to Josh and Jordan's training to push them over the top.

3:30 per 1k...yeah that's flyin...

[TDDance234]

When running a 1k, about 3:30 is when I stop and keel over.

[PAmedic]

great to see the ongoing improvements in this program. Now to bring the Tennis teams up as well!

[PeterParker]

I noticed something while checking out other schools XC rosters...they have anywhere from 20 to 35 guys running. Now, granted, many of those are walk-ons, but there are countless stories of guys walking on their collegiate team and by their Junior seasons have worked there way up to the 5 or 7 spot. There have got to be a bunch of former high school XC runners that weren't in the sub 16 category who chose to attend LU but aren't aware that they could walk-on the team and at least train with guys who are just about at the elite level, if not already at the elite level. Does the team ever make it public knowledge to the student body at large that they could "try out" for the team. According to William & Mary's model, the more the merrier (must be a pretty electric atmosphere for hard workouts, etc.)

2006 William & Mary Current Roster

Name Class Hometown High School
Sean Anastasia-Murphy Sr. Gloucester, MA Gloucester
Anthony Arena Jr. Manassas, VA Osbourn Park
Keith Bechtol Jr. Alexandria, VA Thomas Jefferson
Jared Campbell So. Franklin, IN Franklin Community
Rob Dennis So. Little Silver, NJ Red Bank Regional
Mike Dominguez Sr. Herndon, VA Herndon
Ollie Ehlinger So. Arden, NC TC Roberson
Ian Fitzgerald So. Glenshaw, PA North Hills
Daniel Gordon Fr. Herndon, VA Herndon
David Groff So. Centreville, VA Westfield
Jeff Hedley Sr. Virginia Beach, VA Kempsville
Steve Hoogland Jr. Springfield, VA Lake Braddock
David Hryvniak Jr. Spencerport, NY Aquinas Institute
Ryan Jones So. Harrisburg, PA Central Dauphin
Christopher Katillie Fr. Sterling, VA Thomas Jefferson
Matt Keally Sr. Virginia Beach, VA Ocean Lakes
Graham Kearney Sr. Richmond, VA Douglas Freeman
Spencer Kirk Jr. River Forest, IL OakPark-River Forest
Christo Landry So. Falls Church, VA Thomas Jefferson
Karl Lang So. Oak Hill, VA Oakton
Colin Leak Fr. Chadds Ford, PA Unionville
Daniel MacKay So. Whitinsville, MA Whitinsville Christian
Andrew Midland Fr. Virginia Beach, VA Ocean Lakes
Harry Miller Fr. Portland, OR Catlin Gabel
Dave Mock So. Johnstown, PA Westmont-Hilltop
David Murphy Jr. Warwick, RI Bishop Hendricken
Dan Nally Jr. Warrenton, VA Liberty
Anthony Nowatarski Fr. Stafford, VA Colonial Forge
Joel Parker Jr. Porstmouth, VA Churchland
Kyle Pawlaczyk Sr. Orchard Park, NY Hamburg
James Picard Jr. Midlothian, VA James River
Andrew Press So. Knoxville, TN Webb School
Cabell Rosanelli Fr. Richmond, VA Douglas Freeman
Zachary Rubin Fr. Westmoreland, NH Keene
Jason Schoener Sr. Grand Blanc, MI Grand Blanc
Charles Swartz Fr. Manassas, VA Osbourn
Adam Tenerowicz Jr. Blackstone, MA Blackstone-Mill River
Steve Waite So. Little Silver, NJ Red Bank Regional
Matt Warco Jr. McMurray, PA Peters Township
Bryce Wilk So. Millbrook, NY Millbrook
Matt Wolak Sr. Richmond, VA Mills Godwin

2006 Liberty Roster

Joshua Edmonds Freshman 5-11 Cooperstown, N.Y.
Nate Edwards Sophomore 6-1 Warren, Mich.
David Hunt Sophomore 5-10 Fryeburg, Maine
Clint Jackson Junior 6-3 Cascade, Colo.
Jarvis Jelen Junior 5-9 Sioux Falls, S.D.
Amos Mburu Freshman Thika, Kenya
Jordan McDougal R-Sophomore 5-9 Peru, N.Y.
Joshua McDougal Junior 5-9 Peru, N.Y.
Andrew Ponder Junior 6-0 Colonial Heights, Va.
Jordan Whitlock Freshman 5-9 Elmhurst, Ill.

Also, I noticed the new assistant for LU. Do we know if he is a graduate assistant, or if he is along for an extended stay. Nice to see the steady stream of talented people from more established, well-known programs and schools coming to LU (across the athletic spectrum.) It seems to lend creedence to a rise in credibility and brand equity of LU and its athletics programs in the eyes of others.

It would be great to see LUXC establish a storied tradition in the likes of Oregon (Pre Era), Michigan, and Arkansas...if they could get an international recruiting pipeline (like the Ladies Bball team has found success in Russia) to bring in additional feet to bolster the points standings and create a dominating top 5. I would love to see a William & Mary, LU good natured rivalry.


Pulling for a McDougal win (and maybe one-two brother finish) and a team qualifier for nationals. Should we put the idea of a top 10 finish this year at Nationals (provided they pull together and qualify as a team?)

[PeterParker]

Is an official LUXC home course in the future plans of the program in order to hold home meets as well as establishing and holding big high school invitational events? (Horton sure has taken care of a lot of the hardwork by blazing trails up on the mountain. With some cleared land and nice trails, could provide a challenging course...or the team could use that future golf course someone mentioned...

[01LUGrad]

Pete,
We haven't talked in a while, but I think we both know why there aren't a lot of walk-on's at LU. [Might I direct your memory to one REALLY hot day in 1997 where I came back from a tempo run tinted a piedmont red clayish color?] There hasn't been a lot of emphasis placed on developing young, raw talent. Hopefully that will change with an addition to the coaching staff as well as other successes.

[PeterParker]

Speaking of Stanford, they just landed this guy from the DC/MD area, Steve Duplinsky, who ran a 14:30 at the 2005 W&M High School invitational and won a triathalon title over in Europe as a 17/18 year old.

For Now, Duplinsky Does One Sport, Not Three

Little Hoyas' All-Met Also a Star Triathlete

By Sean P. Flynn
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, September 8, 2004; Page D07

Georgetown Prep junior Steven Duplinsky doesn't need much motivation to get out and train for cross-country -- so little, in fact, that he prefers to train by himself.

"A lot of people think it's very weird," Duplinsky said. "But while I'm running, I'm just content. I'm happy to be doing it. I just love to be out there running -- it never feels like work."

"I just love to be out there running -- it never feels like work," says Georgetown Prep's Steven Duplinsky, the defending IAC cross-country champion. (Preston Keres -- The Washington Post)

Duplinsky's training has helped him become one of the Washington area's best cross-country runners. He was named an All-Met last fall as a sophomore, when he won the Interstate Athletic Conference championship.

Additionally, Duplinsky has been one of the nation's top youth performers in the triathlon -- an event composed of a 25-mile bike ride, a mile swim and a five-kilometer run. Duplinsky has traveled to four countries to compete in eight triathlons this year, and he won the United States and Canadian 19-and-under championships.

In the U.S. meet, Duplinsky ran his five kilometers (roughly 3.1 miles) in 14 minutes 25 seconds -- after completing the swimming and bicycling portions of the event.

The triathlon has been part of Duplinsky's life since eighth grade, but this summer he reached new heights, largely because of his superb work ethic, Georgetown Prep Coach Rich Drozd said.

"He's in tremendous shape," Drozd said. "He has totally committed himself to what he has to do to be the best he can be. . . . [In cross-country] I fully expect him to be as good or better than anyone in [Montgomery County] this year."

Last year, Duplinsky was already among the best, winning the IAC title after capturing the Mercersburg and St. John's/Prospect Hall invitationals during the regular season.

Duplinsky has his eye on performing well at the Foot Locker regional meet at the end of the fall, but he said it may take time to adjust to simply running.

"Usually when I'm training [for the triathlon], I'm swimming or on the bike," Duplinsky said. "I have to spend some time off to get ready for cross-country."

Seems that incorporating tri-training to one's offseason training yields pretty good results (the long hard rides on the bike allow you to keep track of and force your cadence and leg turnover per minute and and actually provides a resistance as you increase your power output by changing to higher gears while also learning to manage the lactic acid buildup, and the swimming builds lung capacity and forces you to learn how to breathe efficiently and correctly, all good things to translate over to the XC course.

[Sly Fox]

For the record, our men were picked to win the Big South in a landslide (although VMI did collect one curious 1st place vote) while our women are projected to be runnersup to CCU.

Liberty Picked to Finish First in Preseason Big South Men's Cross Country Poll
Courtesy: Big South
Release: 08/16/2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Liberty University’s men’s cross country team has been chosen first in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason poll, as voted by the League’s Head Cross Country Coaches and Sports Information Directors and announced today by the Conference office.

Liberty, which features junior All-American and 2005 Big South individual champion Josh McDougal, received 17 first-place votes and received 161 out of a possible 162 points in claiming the top spot on the men’s side, finishing ahead of second-place VMI. The Keydets, which finished second in 2005, received one first-place vote and 129 points. Coastal Carolina was third with 126 points, followed by High Point (119), Radford (78) and Winthrop (76). UNC Asheville (61), Birmingham-Southern (36) and Charleston Southern (24) round out the men’s poll.

The 2005 Big South cross country season begins Friday, Sept. 1. The New Balance men’s and women’s cross country Conference Championship is slated for Saturday, Oct. 28, and will be hosted by Charleston Southern University. The preseason polls appear below.


2006 Big South Conference Preseason Men’s Cross Country Poll (combined votes)

Rk Team (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Points
1. Liberty (17) 153 8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 161
2. VMI (1) 9 56 28 36 -- -- -- -- -- 129
3. Coastal Carolina -- 56 35 30 5 -- -- -- -- 126
4. High Point -- 24 56 24 15 -- -- -- -- 119
5. Radford -- -- -- 6 30 36 6 -- -- 78
6. Winthrop -- -- 7 12 20 20 15 2 -- 76
7. UNC Asheville -- -- -- -- 20 16 15 10 -- 61
8. Birmingham-Southern -- -- -- -- -- -- 12 20 4 36
9. Charleston Southern -- -- -- -- -- -- 6 4 14 24

http://www.bigsouthsports.com/ViewArtic ... LID=542388

Coastal Carolina Tabbed Preseason Women's Cross Country Favorite

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Coastal Carolina University’s women’s cross country squad has been chosen first in the Big South Conference’s annual preseason poll, as voted by the League’s Head Cross Country Coaches and Sports Information Directors and announced today by the Conference office.

Coastal Carolina has been picked to win its sixth-straight Big South women’s cross country title, receiving 13 first-place votes and 157 out of a possible 162 points. The Lady Chants, which have claimed a Big South-record 11 championships, finished 16 points ahead of second-place Liberty. The Lady Flames picked up five first-place votes and 141 points. High Point was predicted third with 118 points, ahead of fourth-place Winthrop (105). VMI was voted fifth with 75 points, followed by UNC Asheville (72), Radford (57), Birmingham-Southern (55) and Charleston Southern (25).

The 2005 Big South cross country season begins Friday, Sept. 1. The New Balance men’s and women’s cross country Conference Championship is slated for Saturday, Oct. 28, and will be hosted by Charleston Southern University. The preseason polls appear below.


2006 Big South Conference Preseason Women’s Cross Country Poll (combined votes)

Rk Team (first-place votes) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Points
1. Coastal Carolina (13) 117 40 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 157
2. Liberty (5) 45 96 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 141
3. High Point -- -- 91 12 15 -- -- -- -- 118
4. Winthrop -- 8 14 60 15 8 -- -- -- 105
5. VMI -- -- 7 24 15 12 12 4 1 75
6. UNC Asheville -- -- 14 6 20 12 15 4 1 72
7. Radford -- -- -- -- 15 24 6 10 2 57
8. Birmingham-Southern -- -- -- 6 5 16 18 8 2 55
9. Charleston Southern -- -- -- -- -- -- 3 10 12 25

http://www.bigsouthsports.com/ViewArtic ... LID=542395

[01LUGrad]

Sep 9- Lou Onesty Invitational- Charlottesville, Va.
Sep 23- Roy Griak Invitational- St. Paul, Minn.
Sep 30- Greater Louisville Classic- Louisville, Ky.
Oct 14- Pre-Nationals- Terre Haute, Ind.
Oct 14- VMI Invitational- Lexington, Va.
Oct 28- Big South Conference Championships- Charleston, S.C.
Nov 4- Hokie Open- Blacksburg, Va.
Nov 11- NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships- Louisville, Ky.
Nov 20- NCAA Division I National Championships- Terre Haute, Ind.

[01LUGrad]

I like the short schedule. Less racing will mean a fresher team come nationals. I also like that they will get to preview both the SE Regional course and the National Championship course during the season.

I thought Josh made a lot of progress last year. He should give Wisconsin's Chris Solinsky a run for his money in Indy. If Jordan can stay healthy this year he should turn a lot of heads. Other than that, I am in the dark. Anybody planning a season outlook for any Lynchburg based publications? I need info!

[PAmedic]

01GRAD: thanks for all the input- making this the official XC thread now and we'll figure a way to post the schedule at the top so we can update it throughout the season as we get results.

Keep the info coming! thanks!

[01LUGrad]

Woah! A "Sticky" for the XC Team! This is my first step towards world domination.

[PAmedic]

2006 Cross Country Preview

Josh McDougal

September 5, 2006
Lynchburg, Va.

The Liberty University men's and women's cross country teams will open the 2006 season at Virginia's Lou Onesty Invitational on Saturday. A season preview for both teams follows.

Josh McDougal has enjoyed unprecedented success during his first two years at Liberty, capturing six All-American honors. McDougal is getting a little lonely, though, and would like his cross country teammates to accompany him to the national meet this year.

Most teams would be happy with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the conference championship meet. For the Liberty women’s cross country team, however, those placements have only served to increase the Lady Flames’ motivation to end Coastal Carolina’s string of five-consecutive Big South titles.

Both Liberty squads have set big goals for the 2006 season, but they are definitely achievable according to 21st-year head coach Brant Tolsma, despite the fact that neither team fields a senior athlete.

“This is probably the most excited we’ve ever been about our cross country teams,” stated Tolsma. “This season has the potential to be our best ever. However, it’s not potential that counts, it’s performance. Our teams are focused, determined and experienced.”

Men’s Team
As mentioned above, the Liberty men’s cross country team has set qualification for the NCAA National Championship as its primary goal for the season. If achieved, it would be a first not only for Liberty but for the entire Big South Conference.

One person who knows something about cross country team success at the national level, Greg Jimmerson, will lend his expertise to the Flames this fall as a new assistant coach. Jimmerson led the 1996 Stanford men’s cross country team to the NCAA Division I national title.

Junior Josh McDougal returns to lead the team. He has achieved All-American status in each of his first two cross country seasons and has not lost a race outside of the NCAA National Championship meet. McDougal is a legitimate contender for the individual national title as Wisconsin’s Chris Solinsky is the only active runner who topped him at the 2005 national meet.

McDougal’s younger brother, Jordan, a redshirt sophomore, is also looking for a banner year. He was sacked with some health problems at the end of last season but showed glimpses of his potential early on. He finished second overall in each of his first three races, including the Stanford Invitational.

Tolsma is also expecting big things from junior Jarvis Jelen. He broke through at the end of his sophomore year with a fifth-place effort at the Big South meet and a 26th-place showing at the NCAA Regional Championship. After a great summer of training, he is hoping to continue that momentum into the 2006 season.

Two additional Liberty juniors are returning All-Big South performers. Clint Jackson took fourth place at last year’s conference meet, while Drew Ponder took 10th. Their efforts played a key role in Liberty’s first conference title since 1999.

Joining the team this fall is a pair of promising newcomers, Josh Edmonds and Amos Mburu. Both are rather inexperienced in cross country but have posted some impressive times on the track. Edmonds, a Cooperstown, N.Y., native, has run 9:13 for 3200 meters. Mburu, of Thika, Kenya, owns a 3000-meter PR of 8:27.

Junior Nate Edwards also returns from last year’s squad and will provide needed depth to the team. Sophomore James Doak is another runner looking to contribute to the Flames’ efforts.

Women’s Team
Unwilling to be outdone by their male counterparts, the Liberty women’s harriers have also laid the foundation for a great season. Tolsma believes that the Lady Flames are capable of the best year in program history. That would mean capturing the team’s first Big South title since 2000, finishing better than ninth at the NCAA Regional Championship meet and qualifying at least one runner to the NCAA National Championship.

Heather Zealand, who twice qualified for the NCAA National Championship herself, will aid in the accomplishment of those objectives. She returns to the Liberty coaching staff for a fifth season.

While the men’s team has tapped the state of New York for talented runners (Josh and Jordan McDougal and Josh Edmonds), Pennsylvania has proven to be a good place for Tolsma and his staff to focus their recruiting efforts on the women’s side.

Pennsylvania natives Carol Jefferson and Sarah Roberts, both juniors, alternated as Liberty’s top runner in 2005 and return to lead this year’s unit. Roberts’ most noteworthy accomplishment a year ago was a runner-up finish at the Big South Championship. Jefferson, ninth at the same meet, really experienced a breakthrough during the indoor track and field season, posting a school-record time of 17:06 in the 5000-meter run.

Other key returnees are also coming off great track and field seasons. Sophomore Ashley Osborne broke 18 minutes in the 5K on the track this past spring. Junior Piper Newby was third in the conference in the steeplechase. Fellow junior Jo Welch recorded an 18:25 in the 5000 meters on the track.

Junior Reyna Quiroz (18:14 5K PR) is expected to be a scoring factor for the Lady Flames this season. Sophomores Rebekah Ricksecker and Jaime Watson both displayed promise as freshmen and could impact this year’s squad.

Rebekah Wahlquist, one of six juniors on the team, showed significant improvement during the track season and is hoping to translate that into a breakthrough cross country season.

Sophomores Molly Morgan and Meleia Johnson have both battled the injury bug during their time at Liberty. They are each looking to have a healthy season and bolster the team’s depth.

The Schedule
Tolsma has crafted a schedule that he believes will prepare his runners to reach their lofty goals, beginning with the Sept. 9 Lou Onesty Invitational just up the road at Virginia.

The Liberty men’s and women’s teams will take a week off before traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a major challenge at the Sept. 23 Roy Griak Invitational. Many of the nation’s top teams will be in attendance, giving the Liberty runners a chance to gain big-meet experience and to collect at-large points towards qualification for the NCAA National Championship.

A week later, the LU runners will get to preview the course where the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship will be contested at the Greater Louisville Classic.

After getting a look at the regional course, the Flames and Lady Flames will preview the terrain at the site of the NCAA National Championship. The Liberty runners will compete in the Oct. 14 Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind., where Josh McDougal owns the course record. Like the Roy Griak meet, most of the national powers will be present at Terre Haute.

The Liberty athletes not making the trek to the Hoosier State on Oct. 14 will compete on the hills of the Virginia Horse Center at the VMI Invitational.

The 2006 Big South men’s and women’s cross country champions will be crowned in Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 28. Liberty would love nothing better than to sweep the two team titles for the first time since 1992.

On Nov. 4, the runners who will not be competing at the NCAA Regional Championship meet will bring their season to a close, heading to Blacksburg, Va., for the Virginia Tech Hokie Open.

Liberty will then compete in the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship meet at Louisville on Nov. 11. It is here that the men’s and women’s runners will attempt to qualify for the national meet.

The aforementioned NCAA National Championship meet will be held on Nov. 20 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

[PeterParker]

If any XC members are lurking, would love to hear what training and team morale is like and maybe some workouts for high school kids who want to lay the groundwork to become an All-American in college someday.

[PAmedic]

added the schedule in on the first post- will also update with results as they happen

[01LUGrad]

First meet of the year in the books. Easy victory for the men. Of course, a couple of the other teams (including W&M) were running their "B" teams.
Things to take away:
1. Josh is still the man.
2. Numbers 1-3 are very solid.
3. 4-5 guys were okay on a tough course.
4. I hope no one gets hurt this season because the 6-8 guys are pretty far back there.

Overall, a very encouraging day.

Men’s 8K Race
Individual Finishers:
1) Josh McDougal, 24:14 (Course Record)
2) David Kemboi, Norfolk State, 24:32
3) Jarvis Jelen, 25:00
4) Jordan McDougal, 25:00
5) Andrew Jesien, Virginia, 25:17
16) Drew Ponder, 25:55
19) Josh Edmonds, 25:57
61) Nate Edwards, 27:29
81) James Doak, 28:16
101) Amos Mburu, 30:05
Team Standings:
1) Liberty, 41
2) Virginia, 88
3) William & Mary, 94
4) Wake Forest, 116
5) Norfolk State, 123

[PeterParker]

I thought the same thing about no one getting hurt thing...they really need to cast a larger net for depth and really work on having an XC/Distance factory, where they take raw talent and develop runners into top-notch runners. They really need to take a look at the W&M model where they have anywhere from 20-30 guys as part of the team. Congrats to the team on the victory and Josh for the course record.

[PAmedic]

McDougal and Newby Sweep Big South Cross Country Runner of the Week Awards

September 13, 2006
Lynchburg, Va.

Liberty cross country runners Josh McDougal (Peru, N.Y.) and Piper Newby (Hayden Lake, Idaho) have been named the Big South Conference Choice Hotels Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Runners of the Week.

McDougal, a junior who has captured six All-American honors in his career at Liberty, got his 2006 season off to a good start at Saturday’s Lou Onesty Invitational, hosted by Virginia. He set an 8K course record with a time of 24:14, marking the 10th time he has set a cross country course record while competing for the Flames. McDougal’s efforts helped Liberty win the team title in a 12-team competition.

Newby, also a junior, burst onto the scene at the Lou Onesty Invitational. Her time of 18:38 eclipsed her previous 5K personal best by nearly a minute. That effort, which earned her an 11th-place finish, made Newby the first Liberty woman to cross the line and led the Lady Flames to fourth place in the final team standings.

McDougal, Newby and the rest of the Liberty men’s and women’s cross country runners will return to action on Sept. 23 at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minn.

[01LUGrad]

Liberty Men's Cross Country Ranked Fifth in Initial USTFCCCA Regional Poll, Receives Votes in National Poll

September 13, 2006
Lynchburg, Va.

The Liberty University men’s cross country team is ranked fifth in the Southeast Region and has been included in the “also receiving votes” category in the initial installment of the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national Division I poll.

The Flames, coming off a team title at Saturday’s Lou Onesty Invitational, actually defeated the top two teams in the regional poll, William & Mary and Virginia, at that event. The first and second finishers at the Nov. 11 NCAA Division I Southeast Regional meet will earn automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I National Championship meet, to be contested Nov. 20. Liberty finished ninth at the regional meet a season ago.

N.C. State and Duke were the other two squads ranked ahead of Liberty in this week’s regional poll, taking third and fourth place, respectively. The Wolfpack were additionally one of the 10 teams included along with Liberty in the “also receiving votes” section of the national poll.

Defending national champion Wisconsin sits atop the national rankings to start the 2006 season. The Badgers are slated to run at the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 23, which is Liberty’s next meet.

William & Mary (25th) and Virginia (26th) were the Southeast Region teams included in the national top 30 listing.

USTFCCCA Preseason Division I Men’s Cross Country Poll
Southeast Region
1) William & Mary
2) Virginia
3) N.C. State
4) Duke
5) Liberty
6) Louisville
7) Norfolk State
Wake Forest
9) Eastern Kentucky
10) James Madison
11) Virginia Tech
12) Coastal Carolina
13) North Carolina
14) Clemson
15) Charlotte

[01LUGrad]

The article states that we "actually defeated the top two teams in the regional poll, William & Mary and Virginia," but that is pretty misleading. W&M and UVA don't run their big dogs at dinky meets like the one this past Sat. Don't get me wrong...I think these guys can hang with anyone in our region. (They will have to if they want to make it to nationals.) It would be nice to see the numbers 6-8 guys step up a bit. The perceived lack of depth probably played into the 'low' ranking.

[Sly Fox]

More Josh success today in Minnesota ...

McDougal Wins Roy Griak Individual Crown; Flames 14th, Lady Flames 18th in Team Standings

September 23, 2006
Falcon Heights, Minn.

Liberty University junior Josh McDougal (Peru, N.Y.) remained unbeaten in his collegiate cross country career outside of the NCAA Division I national meet, holding off a talented field at Saturday’s Roy Griak Invitational at the Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn. McDougal’s efforts helped the Flames finish 14th out of 34 teams.

On the women’s side, junior Piper Newby (Hayden Lake, Idaho) was the Lady Flames’ number one runner for the second-straight meet, taking 70th place. Liberty finished 18th out of 30 teams in the final standings.

Coach Brant Tolsma’s men team totaled 338 points. Eighth-ranked Arizona, led by seniors Robert Cheseret and Obed Mutanya, who placed fourth and fifth overall, won the meet with 142 points. That put the Wildcats 11 points ahead of the host Minnesota Golden Gophers, who garnered the runner-up trophy. Liberty’s regional rival Virginia took third with 173 points.

The Lady Flames accumulated 519 points. UC Santa Barbara was a surprise winner of the women’s team title, finishing with 87 points. UCSB had three of the top six finishers, including the champion (Stephanie Rothstein) and the runner-up (Lauren Christman). Defending champion Arizona State took second with 108 points, while Baylor was third with 120.

McDougal’s 8K time of 24:14 left him four seconds ahead of the runner-up, Northern Arizona sophomore Lopez Lomong. McDougal was challenged throughout, as Lomong, Arizona State’s Aaron Aguayo and Cheseret all finished less than eight seconds behind him.

Jarvis Jelen (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) crossed the line in 25:25, taking 28th place out of 301 finishers. Jordan McDougal (R-So., Peru, N.Y.) was next to finish for Liberty, taking 78th in a time of 26:05.

Junior Drew Ponder (Colonial Heights, Va.) was 126th (26:26.35) and freshman Josh Edmonds (Cooperstown, N.Y.) finished right behind him in 129th (26:26.70) to round out Liberty’s top five.

Junior Nate Edwards (Warren, Mich.) (247th, 27:53) and sophomore James Doak (Kintnersville, Pa.) (288th, 28:51) also competed for the Flames.

On a day when most times were slow, Newby recorded a PR for the second-straight race. Her time of 22:49 was 24 seconds under her previous best at the 6K distance. Junior Carol Jefferson (Schwenksville, Pa.) was the Lady Flames’ number two runner, recording a 23:25 that was good for 107th in the 288-runner field.

Sarah Roberts (Jr., Zeiglerville, Pa.), Jefferson’s high school teammate as well, finished close behind her in the 111th position, crossing the line in 23:28. Rebekah Ricksecker (So., Laurel, Del.) was 137th in a time of 23:47 and Jo Welch (Jr., Castro Valley, Calif.) placed 153rd in 23:56 to round out Liberty’s scorers.

Sophomore Ashley Osborne (Bristol, Va.) (181st, 24:21) and redshirt junior Reyna Quiroz (Canyonville, Ore.) (206th, 24:44) were the Lady Flames’ sixth and seventh runners.

The Liberty men’s and women’s cross country teams will be back in action next Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic. That course at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park will be the site of the NCAA Division I Southeast Regional Championships in November.

Men’s 8K Race

Individual Finishers:
1) Josh McDougal, 24:14
2) Lopez Lomong, Northern Arizona, 24:18
3) Aaron Aguayo, Arizona State, 24:18
4) Robert Cheseret, Arizona, 24:21
5) Obed Mutanya, Arizona, 24:26
28 ) Jarvis Jelen, 25:25
78 ) Jordan McDougal, 26:05
126) Drew Ponder, 26:26
129) Josh Edmonds, 26:26
247) Nate Edwards, 27:53
288) James Doak, 28:51

Team Standings:
1) Arizona, 142
2) Minnesota, 153
3) Virginia, 173
4) Arizona State, 182
5) Iowa State, 207
14) Liberty, 338

Women’s 6K Race

Individual Finishers:
1) Stephanie Rothstein, UC Santa Barbara, 21:12
2) Lauren Christman, UC Santa Barbara, 21:12
3) Emily Brown, Minnesota, 21:16
4) Alissa McKaig, Michigan State, 21:18
5) Emily Harrison, Virginia, 21:21
70) Piper Newby, 22:49
107) Carol Jefferson, 23:25
111) Sarah Roberts, 23:28
137) Rebekah Ricksecker, 23:47
153) Jo Welch, 23:56
181) Ashley Osborne, 24:21
206) Reyna Quiroz, 24:44

Team Standings:
1) UC Santa Barbara, 87
2) Arizona State, 108
3) Baylor, 120
4) Minnesota, 137
5) Michigan State, 143
18 ) Liberty, 519

http://libertyflames.com/index.cfm?PID= ... 5&TeamID=8

[krh44]

There is a nice pic of Josh on the www.trackshark.com today after another impressive win.