2012 CROSS COUNTRY GUide - MSJ Lions Athletics

2012 ScheduleDate Opponent Location Time8/31 College of Mount St. Joseph Invitational heritage Park, Cincinnati, OH 6:00PM9/8 Hanover College Invitational Madison, IN 10:00AM9/29 All-Ohio Championships (Cedarville University) Cedarville, OH 2:00PM10/6 Gibson Family Pre-National Meet (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) Terre Haute, IN 12:00PM10/12 Wilmington College Classic Wilmington, OH 4:30PM10/27 HCAC Championship (Bluffton University) Bluffton, OH 11:00AM11/10 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional (Anderson University) Anderson, IN 11:00AM11/17 NCAA Division III National Championship (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) Terre Haute, IN 11:00AMHome meets in bold.2012 Season OutlookThe 2012 Lions’ men’s cross country team looks to improve on theirperformance from the 2011 season. The improvement process will beginon August 31st with the College of Mount St. Joseph Invitational. Thisis the second year in a row that the Lions have hosted their home meetat Heritage Park in Cincinnati. Head Coach Tina Blakley knows howmuch goes into hosting a meet.“It’s something that needs to be planned for about a year inadvance, and it’s a lot of extra work, but we are excited to do it to helpgrow the College of Mount St. Joseph Cross Country brand,’’ Blakleystates. “We believe that if we continue to host this meet it will growinto a significant meet in the years to come.”The Lions return five runners from last year, and have also added twonewcomers. Key returners include Jon Mathis, who finished highest onthe team in seven of the eight meets last year, Colton Chicketti, ChrisKlaine, Kory Phelps, and Sean Wiwi. Klaine, Mathis, Phelps and Wiwi allreturn for their third season with the Lions, while Chicketti is back fora second campaign. First-year runners Anthony Knox and Luke Schaferjoin the list of Mount runners for 2012.Coach Blakley is particularly excited about a few of the upcomingmeets.“I always look forward to the All-Ohio meet for the level ofcompetition,’’ Blakley adds. “It’s a great experience for us to runagainst teams from all over Ohio.“One of our conference schools, Rose-Hulman, is hosting the NCAADivision III Nationals in November,’’ adds Blakley. “They are hostinga Pre-Nationals meet on Saturday, October 6th and our team will becompeting in that meet with colleges from all over the United States.”Blakley states the team has set some goals for the upcomingcampaign.“We have two main goals this season and the first one is to improveour finish in the HCAC Championships,’’ Blakley says. “Last year wefinished in eighth place and this year we are striving to finish in thetop five.”Our second goal as a team is to maintain a 3.0 or higher overallGPA. Academics are a priority and we want them to do their bestacademically, as well as athletically.”Micquelle Burton has the fifth fastest time in Mount history in a 5K race.The Lions’ second-year head coach has continued to help lay a strongfoundation for the program. She encourages her athletes to cross trainduring the off-season and to build a strong endurance base during thepre-season. She is adamant about the athletes following strength andconditioning program, making good nutritional choices and allowingthemselves adequate time for recovery.The Mount’s season begins on August 31 and the Lions will look tobegin with a strong performance in their home meet that they can carrywith them throughout the year.10COLLEGE OF MOUNT ST. JOSEPH