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August 26, 2009
2009 Rio Grande Cross Country Preview
Rio Grande---The University of Rio Grande RedStorm men's and women's cross country teams are ready for a new beginning in the Mid-South Conference. Both squads return nearly everybody from teams that showed promise in 2008 and the coaching staff has added a quality group of newcomers to both programs.
Rio Grande head coach Bob Willey thinks both teams should have very good seasons. "For the men, I look forward to an excellent year; if we train well we will be in the mix for the top spot in the conference," he said. "The women, if we keep the team training well, we should produce one of the best seasons in recent years."Willey believes the key to the success of this year's men's and women's teams, is to become one unit. "We want to strive to be a close knit team and put in the work required to be a strong team," Willey said.
Rio Grande has only two seniors on the men's side in Jordan Cunningham (New Carlisle, OH) and Kyle Hively (Vinton, OH) and one on the women's team in Stacey Arnett (Circleville, OH). Both teams are flooded with freshmen and sophomores, which raises some concern for the coaching staff as they head into the season. "The women's team is young and not very deep and the men are also young and must create a willingness to work as a team," Willey said. "That's why I stressed that as the key to the season. It's good right now and if they can continue to work at it, it can be better."
Joining Cunningham and Hively, the RedStorm bring back junior Matt Spencer (Pickerington, OH) and Steven Davis (McConnellsville, OH) along with a solid group of sophomores who learned a lot about competing at the collegiate level last season. Bryce Wilson (Jackson, OH), Nick Wilson (Fleming, OH), Nic Cartee (South Webster, OH), Andrew Edmunds (Huntington, WV), Justin Hartley (Glouster, OH), Chad McCarty (Tipp City, OH), Zane Miller (Grove City, OH) and Lucas Murphy (Grove City, OH) all return. Add Chas Whittington to the list as he is over from the track team.
For the second consecutive year, the coaching staff has assembled a very stout recruiting class who will challenge the older ones for a spot in the top seven. The newcomers are: Chris Aldea (Grove City, OH), Joe Taranto (Pickerington, OH), Kyle Goode (Racine, OH), Nathan Mogle (New Madison, OH), Justin Roush (Belpre, OH) and Jordan Strickland (Oak Hill, OH).
Along with Arnett the women's team returns juniors Tracy Newcomer (Findlay, OH), Beth Hysell Pomeroy, OH), Hillary Haines (McConnellsville, OH) and Brooklyn Wampler (Grove City, OH) as well as sophomores Kayla Renner (Grove City, OH) and Danielle Stockham (London, OH). Junior Cassie Mattia (West Chester, OH) and sophomore Molly Roark (South Webster, OH) are converted sprinters from the track team.
The women of Rio Grande Cross Country have two incoming freshmen in Holly Haines (McConnellsville, OH), the younger sister of Hillary and Amy Lower (Lancaster, OH).
The men's team has been picked to finish 4th in the preseason Mid-South Conference poll as selected by the conference coaches. The RedStorm women have been tabbed to finish 5th. The RedStorm men collected 22 points, including one first-place vote while the women totaled 18 points.
The RedStorm men finished 8th out of 13 teams a season ago in the American Mideast Conference while the RedStorm women finished 10th out 14 last season in the American Mideast Conference.
The cross country season kicks off September 19 for Rio Grande at the Friendship Invitational in Cedarville. Week two for Rio Grande will be one of the great traditions of Rio, the 39th Annual Rio Grande Invitational, September 26. Rio will also compete in the All-Ohio Championship (October 2), the Wilmington College Fall Classic (October 16) and the Mid-South Conference Championships, which are scheduled for November 7 in Louisville, Ky.
Rio will have one additional home meet on October 30 in the Red & White Invitational. The NAIA National Meet is slated for November 21 in Vancouver, Wash.
