The Malone University men's and women's cross country teams, led by veteran head coach
Jack Hazen, will open their respective 2010 seasons this Friday, September 3
rd at 4:00 p.m. when the team's host the college/university portion of the Malone Invitational, which concludes on Saturday, September 4
th with the High School (and JV) portion of the meet.
The Malone men will enter the meet with a #1 NAIA national ranking, after winning the NAIA national title for the past three seasons, while the Pioneer women are ranked third in the preseason poll after taking third place at last year's NAIA national meet. In addition, the men's team won its third straight NCCAA national title last year as well while the women finished as NCCAA national runners-up.
After a week of preseason training in Leadville, Colorado earlier this month, along with the usual preseason training throughout the summer leading up to the start of the season, the teams are anxiously awaiting Friday's 2010 kickoff race on Malone's campus course.
The Malone men return two of the five athletes who earned All-America honors at last year's NAIA national meet but four of the seven runners who competed at the event for Malone. Back to lead the team in 2010 are seniors Aaron Melhorn (Fairless H.S.) and James Zeuch (Galion H.S.), who finished third (24:36) and fifth (25:15) overall, respectively, at last year's NAIA national meet. Melhorn currently has a total of 10 NAIA All-America honors (combined in both cross country and track & field) and needs just one more to tie recent graduate Chris Sinick for most NAIA All-America honors by a Malone athlete in all sports.
Others who should be near the front of the pack for the Pioneer men include Nick Meeson (So., Lakewood H.S.) and Tony Migliozzi (Jr., St. Thomas Aquinas H.S.), both of whom competed at last year's NAIA nationals with times of 26:11 and 26:03, respectively, along with transfer Jarod Williams (So., Louisville H.S.), who came from Coastal Carolina (SC) University. Williams was one of the top runners in Stark County while at Louisville High School.
Battling for a varsity spot will be returnees Jeremy Arthur (Jr., Medina H.S.) and Mitch Williams (So., Celina H.S.) along with top newcomers Jordan McKelley (Fr., St. Thomas Aquinas H.S.),
Nick Fresenko (Fr., Louisville H.S.) and Mike Sunseri (Fr., Kings Beach, CA).
“We have a good but young men's team,” commented Hazen, “but our underclassmen must step up for us as we battle for the conference and national titles again this year. Our team has been training well and we had a great week of training in Colorado so we're looking forward to getting the season underway.”
The Malone women's team returns five of the seven runners who competed for the squad at last year's NAIA national meet but a transfer student, sophomore Tina Oprean (Canton Central Catholic H.S.), who transferred in from Edinboro (PA) University and was a standout at Central Catholic High School, could very well be the top runner for the squad.
Returning runners who will be battling for the remaining six varsity spots include seniors Kristen Downing (Lake H.S.) and Lindsey Pifher (Colonel Crawford H.S.), juniors Erin Bauer (Loveland H.S.), Tynae Wilson (Fort Wayne, IN) and Gabrielle Wuensch (New London H.S.) and sophomores Ashton Avery (Canton McKinley H.S.), Brynn Chaskel (Liberty Benton H.S.) and Hannah Hartzler (Norwayne H.S.). Pifher, Bauer, Wilson and Avery competed for the squad at last year's NAIA national meet with Bauer posting the best national time of any returning runner with a time of 19:12 (40th).
Others who could break into the above group include returnees Emily Grad (Sr., Field H.S.), who competed at last year's NAIA nationals, Danielle Wuensch (Jr., New London H.S.), Becky Neitzel (Jr., Malvern H.S.), Jessica Winkler (So., Norwayne H.S.) and top freshman newcomer Emily Tomei (St. Vincent-St. Mary's H.S.).
“Tina (Oprean) may be our top runner right now, “ said Hazen, “ but it is really a toss-up after that right now for placements. We have a lot of solid returning runners who are right in there as well. We lost two from our top seven last year but we're hoping to not break stride with the group we have returning. It should be another exciting season for us.”
The Malone Invitational, held on Sept. 3-4 (college/university on Sept. 3 at 4:00 p.m. and high school/JV on Sept. 4 at 9:00 a.m.), is again touted as one of the largest cross country meets in the Midwest and will again have Nike as its major sponsor along with ESPN 990AM Radio broadcasting live all day Saturday. In addition, U.S. Track & Field, which has traditionally only participated at U.S. Nationals meets but which is branching out more now to do other events, will have a booth at the Invitational on Saturday with various promotional displays along with merchandise for sale. The Malone Invitational will be the first cross country meet that U.S. Track & Field will have attended.
After its season-opening meet on Friday (Sept. 3rd) as part of its own Invitational, the Pioneer teams will next compete at the United States Naval Academy Salty Sea Dog Invitational on Saturday, September 18th.
