2010 HC Cross Country Preseason Poll
After winning the conference championship a season ago, the Dallas Baptist Lady Patriot Cross Country Team has been picked as the Heartland Conference favorite for the 2010 season. The Lady Patriots received all eight votes from conference coaches and sports information directors. The Patriot Men’s Team received three first place votes, but has been selected to finish second behind Newman University.
The Patriot Men are returning almost their entire roster for the 2010 campaign, including school record holders John Millsap (5000 meters, 10,000 meters) and Jordan Koser (1500 meters), and All-Conference Honorees Jesse Benes, Zach Morgan, and Kurt Lindsey.
The Men have also added much needed depth with several signings for 2010. Incoming freshmen Jacob Phillips and Joshua Pauley look to contribute immediately. The biggest signing for the Patriots was with University of Iowa transfer Zach Braff. Braff was one of the top prep 800 meter runners in the country in 2008. He was four-time elite all-state and 11-time all-conference, and was second in the Iowa State Meet in the 800 meters with a time of 1:52.90. His personal best was achieved at the 2008 Nike Outdoor National Championships where he placed ninth in a time of 1:52.45.
"This should be the best Men's Team we've ever fielded," said sixth year Head Coach Jacob Phillips, "I believe we can reclaim the Conference Championship we won in 2007 and be a surprise in the South Central Region with this group of young men."
The Patriot women are entering 2010 after a historic 2009 campaign. The women were able to qualify for the NCAA Championships in 2009 and place 22nd overall. The 2010 season will be a changing of the guard as the Patriots graduated their top four runners from the 2009 season.
Tabbitha Ashford will look to lead the Women as she is the top returner from the 2009 season. Ashford has been All-Conference her freshman, sophomore, and junior years and was named All-Region in 2008 with her 12th place finish at the South Central Regional Championships. Also returning from the 2009 squad that ran at the National Championships is three-time All-Conference honoree Rachel Phillips and two-time All-Conference honoree Linet Kibet. Kibet was also named All-Region in 2008.
The women will look to several ladies in order to fill the top seven, and repeat as Conference Champions and National qualifiers. Sophomore Ashley Spivey and Freshman Susan Tanui look to contribute after successful 2010 track seasons. Both Spivey and Tanui qualified for the 2010 NCCAA Outdoor National Championships.
The women have also added some depth with the addition of two transfers and the signings of two preps. Adams State transfer Anna Dean looks to return to cross country competition in 2010 after placing 12th at the Region 4 Championships for San Antonio Health Careers High School in 2007. University of New Mexico transfer Laynee Valverde is also returning to Cross Country competition after a stellar prep career at Eldorado High in New Mexico. Freshmen Julie Durrwachter and Molly Snook also look to contribute immediately after successful prep careers.
"We're very excited for 2010 after the success we had last year, but this is a very different team," said Phillips. "We've got a group of young women who work very hard and who are ready to accept the challenge of trying to get back to the National Championships. I think we can continue to be a top 25 team in the country."
The Patriots will open the season at the Baylor Bear Twilight Cross-Country Invite on September 3, in Waco, Texas, before competing at the Central Missouri State Mule Run on September 10. The Mule Run will serve as the NCAA South Central Regional Preview as CMSU is set to host the 2010 Regional Championships.
The Patriots will run at the Missouri Southern Stampede on September 18 and the University of Arkansas Chile Pepper on October 16 to complete their regular season. The post season will kick off with the Heartland Conference Championships, hosted by Newman University in Wichita, Kansas on November 6 with the Regional Championships followings two weeks later. The Regional Championships on November 20 will be a National qualifier for the National Championships which will be held in Louisville, Kentucky.