Annual Drenth Gets It Started For Cross Country

Chandler Lorf is one of the top returnees to the CMU men's cross country team in 2019.

Photo by: Mary Lewandowski

8/29/2019 3:40:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, MTF, Women's Cross Country, Track & Field

Youngsters appear ready to step in to major roles

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan cross country team kicks off the 2019 season with its annual Drenth Memorial on Friday (10 a.m.) at Pleasant Hills Golf Club.

The Chippewas enter the season with big shoes to fill after the graduation, on the women's side, of two-time All-Mid-American Conference First Teamer Megan O'Neil and Kristen Olling, also a two-time all-conference honoree. On the men's side, two-time all-leaguer Luke Anderson has graduated.

"Everybody ended last year wanting more and so this is their opportunity to go out and get it; I think that goes for both teams," said Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Jenny Swieton. "Sometimes (graduating talent is) a little scary, but it's a really good opportunity for the young student-athletes to step up and take their chance to shine and show everybody what they're capable of."

Both Chippewa squads finished fifth last fall in the MAC Championships and both were picked to place sixth in the preseason coaches poll, which was released this week. The league comprises 12 teams on the women's side, nine on the men's.

Senior Mark Beckmann, sophomore Chandler Lorf, and junior Conor Naughton are the top returnees to the men's squad. Beckmann finished 18^th in the MAC Championships last fall, missing out on all-conference honors by just four spots.

"We'll definitely look to them for leadership and I think Mark is ready to go out with a bang," Swieton said. "He's going to go for it every time out and I think he has the maturity and the experience to do some really good things this year."

While Beckmann may carry the leadership mantle, he very well could have plenty of maroon-and-gold company at the front of the pack.

"The really great thing about this year is we're going to have a really good pack and they're going to work together and I think whoever is having the best day, he'll be our No. 1 runner," Swieton said. "It could be different every time. It's a really good position to be in."

The CMU women are in a similar situation.

"We have a really strong pack on the women's side and we also have some newbies that are really challenging for those top spots and I think that's where you want to be this time of year," Swieton said. "Every time out it could be a different order."

Junior Morgan Merlino, who finished the 2018 season as CMU's No. 3 runner, is among the top returnees. That group also includes senior Natalie Beaulieu, junior Ana Garcia Arias, and sophomores Lauren Beckmann and Maija Rettelle along with senior Carissa Gobbi.

Sophomore Emily Shelton along with a group of promising underclassmen, of which there are 13 on the roster.

"I know it's a bold statement to lose three of your top five, but I do think we can be better," Swieton said. "It's just going to take team work. When 13 of 19 are freshmen or sophomores, I think this is the beginning of a slow build to something really great.

"We're so young there's going to be trials, but I'm confident that everybody on our team is going make it out on the other side and be better for it."

The Chippewas will square off with Michigan State, Alma and Muskegon Community College in Friday's race at Pleasant Hills. The women are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. followed by the men at 10:35 a.m.

The program will honor three of its greatest teams during a luncheon at Hunter's Ale House following the Drenth. CMU is marking the 20^th anniversary of the 1999 MAC men's championship team, and is marking the 30^th anniversary of the 1989 MAC men's and women's championship squads.

Members from all three squads will be in attendance at the Drenth, which is free and open to the public.

"I think it is important to bring back championship teams any time you can," Swieton said. "When we were talking on the phone with some of the student-athletes from those day, it was clear the bond that they formed at those times is just so important to them.

"You can tell it holds such a special place in their hearts, it is great that we can bring them back to where they created those bonds and those memories. They're the ones that proved it can be done at Central and that they can compete with anybody. I think it's important for our student-athletes to see that now that it can be done here at Central."