2008 Cross Country Season Preview

The 2007 University of the Cumberlands Cross Country season for the Patriot men and women were both bittersweet. Injuries plagued the teams throughout the course of the year, however success was still obtainable. Both teams captured 2 nd place finishes in the Mid-South Conference Championships and 3 rd place finishes in the Region XI Championships. Also, the Patriots qualified four athletes for the national meet in Kenosha, WI, with Elyse Velte (Waynesville, OH), Whitney Brainard (Somerset, KY), and Juan Robles (Las Vegas, NV) participating. Seth Darrell (Monroe, OH), who had qualified to compete, was injured and unable.

Looking ahead to the 2008 campaign, the Patriots will count on their seasoned veterans to take them back to the top of the Mid-South Conference and NAIA.

Staring at the top, the Patriots will have reigning Mid-South Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, Floyd Stroud coming back for his
17th season.

On the men’s side, the Patriots will have to fill the void left by 3-time National Qualifier and MSC All-conference performer, Brett Ratliff (Pikeville, KY) and Juan Robles, whom captured MSC All-Conference honors and placed 36 th at nationals. It will be a tough task to replace such talent; however, the Cumberlands do have a trio of key returners for the 2008 season. Senior MSC All-Conference member and NAIA qualifier Seth Darrell, junior Josh Laughlin (Bellbrook, OH), and sophomore Marius Cozmanciuc (Bucharest, Romania), all possess the skills to help the Patriots get back to MSC and national promise.

Adding talented freshmen Landon Hamilton ( Andover, OH) and Zachary Kiser ( Nicholasville, KY) should also benefit the team immediately.

On the ladies side, Whitney Brainard, Elyse Velte, and Kristin Parrot ( Williamsburg, KY) were all named as MSC All-Conference performers for the 2007 season. The Patriots lose Brainard, who was a 3-time Cross Country National Qualifier and Academic All-American, and Parrot to graduation.

For the 2008 women, national qualifier Velte will return to lead the Patriots, but she should have some help. Junior Kayla King (Wilmore, KY), and sophomores Brooke White (Bell County, KY), Sarah Hobbs (Pineville, KY), and Natasha Sydnor (Elizabethtown, KY) are back to help lead the Patriot ladies through another exciting season.

Newcomer Lauren Kachel (Pickerton, OH) will be adding to the talent and looks to be competing with Velte for the top spot. Freshmen Megan Swoope
(Hamilton, OH) and Shannon Schaffer ( Fairfield, OH) will also be looking to aid the team in their first season.

The Patriots’ Cross Country season will get underway on September 6 th, as they take part in the Queen City Invitational in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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