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Cross Country Teams Set to Open 2002 Season
Sept. 12, 2002 By Don Dowell Both TCU cross country teams face a difficult task as the Frogs head into the 2002 season. Two all-time TCU standouts and Conference USA individual champions must somehow be replaced from senior-laden teams, two-time conference winner Glady's Keitany and All-American Eliud Njubi. According to cross country coach Derek Koonts, who is now in his second-year at TCU, it's going to take some time, but he likes his new nucleus. The first chance for Koonts to get a look at the Frogs will come on Saturday, September 14, when the Frogs participate in the UNT Opener in Denton. In addition to TCU and North Texas, other teams competing include UTA, SMU and Arkansas State. The men will compete in a four-mile race, beginning at 8:45 a.m., while the women will run a two-mile race at 9:30 a.m. "I've had a chance to bring in some people, and I feel like within another year or two, this will be my team," Koonts noted. "It's a unique opportunity to come in and be able to call it my team pretty quick. We lost 13 girls last year and you are not going to replace that type of number. I was faced with the dilemma of signing a whole bunch of girls, some of whom might not progress. So I went after some quality girls, and signed three, with two walk-ons coming. We will have eight girls. Number-wise, we are not real deep, but I do like the group. They are a great group of girls that will be fun to watch." "Put Glady's aside, I feel this year's team will be better than last year's team," Koonts continued. "Our #3, 4 and 5 girls are going to be better. It's no quick fix. It will take some time to get the numbers up and improve the quality." Robin Schact, who won all-conference and all-region honors, will be the senior leader of the freshmen dominated squad. "She's not real vocal," Koonts said. "She will lead by example. I sometimes think that is better than being a vocal leader anyway." "Shannon McKinney is another returning senior," Koonts said. "Along with the freshmen (Katie Cosgrove, Heather Isbell, Alayne Thompson and Katrina Zielinksi), we are going to try to run Justina Malone a little bit in cross country. She was an all-conference performer in the 800 as a freshman last year." "My goal is to get the women's program where we are competing for a conference title every year and participating in the nationals. It may take a couple of years, but we are going to get there. If we keep everyone healthy, we should be third in conference again. We were fifth in the region last year, if we finish close to that, it will be a good year." The men's team is in a similar situation, rebuilding with a young squad after losing their star runner. "We lost Eliud and a couple of guys to academics," Koonts said "But we brought in Jackson Langat, a transfer from Tarleton, who will probably be our top cross country runner. He should be top three in the conference meet. The three freshmen are a very good group. Johnathan Bundren ran a 9:30 two-mile in high school, and David Bellinger and Brad Maciulewicz were right at 9:55, which is solid. Once again, the #3, 4 and 5 will be better than last year, and Jackson will be as close to Eliud as possible. Bundren is ready to turn some heads and he could be the best walk-on to ever come through here." Raita Yamanouchi is the team's only junior. Sophomores Steven Lenney and Sean McMahon return for the Frogs. "Lenney ran a 9:42 in the steeplechase at the conference meet," Koonts said. "I think he will come on for us." "We need to be better than we were last year, and finish higher in the conference, along with a better showing in the regionals. Last year, we were eighth, so we are shooting for top five, along with a top ten finish in the region. Numbers is my concern this year. That will just take time. I don't want a huge team, but we need more than eight out there from an injury standpoint." "Our long-term goals for the men are a top-three finish in the conference, with a top five in the regionals," Koonts said. "For the women, we want to get where we can win the conference and compete in the nationals. I will work relentlessly until that happens." TCU will compete in four meets this season before going to the C-USA Championships in Hattiesburg, MS (Nov 2). The Frogs will first participate in the North Texas Opener (Sept 14), followed by the Sam Houston Invitational (Sept 20), the OSU Cowboy Jamboree (Oct 5) and conclude with the Texas A&M Invitational (Oct 12).
"We are starting competition two-weeks later than most teams," Koonts noted. "Since the nationals are two weeks later this year, I don't see the urgency in starting the season earlier than we have to. With a new group, I didn't want to just throw them to the wolves. I wanted to get a feel for them and watch them get some workouts. That way, they will feel like they are more prepared when they go to the first meet."
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