Cross country teams picked as runners-up

Aug. 4, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MIAA Preseason Coaches Polls for cross country released

While several key pieces to Missouri Southern State University’s recent cross country success have moved on, the Lions still have enough conference-wide respect and solid contributors in place. Both teams were picked as league runners-up in the 2005 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Preseason Coaches Polls announced this week.

The Lion women, third in the MIAA last year but just 10 points from the championship, garnered three first-place votes and 33 points for second place in the 2005 conference preseason poll. They were just one point behind 2004 league champion Central Missouri State, which collected four first-place votes.

Pittsburg State and Truman tied for third in the women’s poll with 22 points. Emporia State (17) was fifth, Northwest Missouri State (11) sixth and Southwest Baptist (7) seventh.

MSSU’s men charted 28 points to finish eight behind 2004 champ Central Missouri State, a unanimous choice to repeat. Truman was third and just three points behind Southern with 25. Emporia State was voted fourth with 24 points, followed by Pittsburg State (15) in fifth, Northwest Missouri State (13) in sixth and Southwest Baptist (6) in seventh place.

In 2004, the Lion men made their fifth straight team appearance at the national meet, but the top two runners, Paul Koehler and Craig Rhoads, who finished 1-2 at last year’s league meet in Maryville, Mo., were lost to graduation. Senior Lucas Plocher (West Plains, Mo.) and junior Dustin Miller (Carthage, Mo.) lead a young squad into 2005. Eleven members of coach Tom Rutledge’s 13 cross country student-athletes are freshmen, sophomores or first-year transfers.

Senior Erin Click (West Plains, Mo.), All-MIAA in 2004 with a fifth-place finish, leads the Southern women into the 2005 campaign. The Lions must replace two major components, departed seniors Ashley Caffey and Megan Russell, from their recent run. Caffey was a three-time All-MIAA performer in cross country and Russell was an All-American in 2004. Coach Patty Vavra will hope for continued improvement from several young runners and a healthy return by senior Kelly Fanning (Joplin, Mo.), who was slowed by injury in 2004.

Both Missouri Southern squads open the 2005 season on Sept. 9 at the University of Arkansas before hosting the Southern Stampede, one of the nation’s largest cross country meets, on Sept. 17.


	Aug. 4, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Cross country teams picked as runners-up MIAA Preseason Coaches Polls for cross country released While several key pieces to Missouri Southern State University’s recent cross country success have moved on, the Lions still have enough conference-wide respect and solid contributors in place. Both teams were picked as league runners-up in the 2005 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Preseason Coaches Polls announced this week. The Lion women, third in the MIAA last year but just 10 points from the championship, garnered three first-place votes and 33 points for second place in the 2005 conference preseason poll. They were just one point behind 2004 league champion Central Missouri State, which collected four first-place votes. Pittsburg State and Truman tied for third in the women’s poll with 22 points. Emporia State (17) was fifth, Northwest Missouri State (11) sixth and Southwest Baptist (7) seventh. MSSU’s men charted 28 points to finish eight behind 2004 champ Central Missouri State, a unanimous choice to repeat. Truman was third and just three points behind Southern with 25. Emporia State was voted fourth with 24 points, followed by Pittsburg State (15) in fifth, Northwest Missouri State (13) in sixth and Southwest Baptist (6) in seventh place. In 2004, the Lion men made their fifth straight team appearance at the national meet, but the top two runners, Paul Koehler and Craig Rhoads, who finished 1-2 at last year’s league meet in Maryville, Mo., were lost to graduation. Senior Lucas Plocher (West Plains, Mo.) and junior Dustin Miller (Carthage, Mo.) lead a young squad into 2005. Eleven members of coach Tom Rutledge’s 13 cross country student-athletes are freshmen, sophomores or first-year transfers. Senior Erin Click (West Plains, Mo.), All-MIAA in 2004 with a fifth-place finish, leads the Southern women into the 2005 campaign. The Lions must replace two major components, departed seniors Ashley Caffey and Megan Russell, from their recent run. Caffey was a three-time All-MIAA performer in cross country and Russell was an All-American in 2004. Coach Patty Vavra will hope for continued improvement from several young runners and a healthy return by senior Kelly Fanning (Joplin, Mo.), who was slowed by injury in 2004. Both Missouri Southern squads open the 2005 season on Sept. 9 at the University of Arkansas before hosting the Southern Stampede, one of the nation’s largest cross country meets, on Sept. 17.