Central Michigan University Athletics
Women's Cross Country Opens Season at Home on Friday
8/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
MOUNT PLEASANT Featuring one of its most veteran lineups in recent years, the Central Michigan University women’s cross country team opens the 2008 season this Friday, Aug. 29, with the Jeff Drenth Memorial, CMU’s lone home meet of the year.
The event is being held in University Park just south of the Fairfield Inn. The women’s race begins at 4 p.m., with the men’s race slated to begin around 4:30 p.m.
It is an open meet with Michigan State also scheduled to run the 5K loop.
“I’m really pleased with where we are at,” coach Karen Lutzke said. “We were able to start training last Monday and we were able to get away from the distractions on campus for a while in Spring Lake.
“We are a veteran team with five seniors but we have seven new athletes so our trip was a chance for us to bond and rely on each other in competitive situations.”
CMU returns eight of the nine runners who competed in last year’s Mid-American Conference Championships with the lone loss being Elizabeth Carpenter.
Junior Kelly McClure returns after pacing CMU in five of the seven meets last season. She is expected to be joined at the front of the pack by seniors Michelle Diverio, Kelly Higgins, Jackie Rivard and Amanda Rudert.
“Our seniors are tremendous leaders, on and off the course,” Lutzke said. “We are also expecting some of our younger runners to step up. I think two people who are going to be surprises this year are Sarah Squires and Raeanne Lohner. Both looked great on the track last year.
“We have a lot of people returning and only a few spots in the lineup. Everyone is going to push each other to get better.”
CMU was picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason coaches poll, matching last year’s finish. Akron was tabbed the league favorite.
The event is being held in University Park just south of the Fairfield Inn. The women’s race begins at 4 p.m., with the men’s race slated to begin around 4:30 p.m.
It is an open meet with Michigan State also scheduled to run the 5K loop.
“I’m really pleased with where we are at,” coach Karen Lutzke said. “We were able to start training last Monday and we were able to get away from the distractions on campus for a while in Spring Lake.
“We are a veteran team with five seniors but we have seven new athletes so our trip was a chance for us to bond and rely on each other in competitive situations.”
CMU returns eight of the nine runners who competed in last year’s Mid-American Conference Championships with the lone loss being Elizabeth Carpenter.
Junior Kelly McClure returns after pacing CMU in five of the seven meets last season. She is expected to be joined at the front of the pack by seniors Michelle Diverio, Kelly Higgins, Jackie Rivard and Amanda Rudert.
“Our seniors are tremendous leaders, on and off the course,” Lutzke said. “We are also expecting some of our younger runners to step up. I think two people who are going to be surprises this year are Sarah Squires and Raeanne Lohner. Both looked great on the track last year.
“We have a lot of people returning and only a few spots in the lineup. Everyone is going to push each other to get better.”
CMU was picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason coaches poll, matching last year’s finish. Akron was tabbed the league favorite.
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