New coach, new outlook
Lane Johnson
Issue date: 8/27/04 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
Recently picked third by the Mid-Continent Conference preseason polls and under the leadership of newly named coach Andy Sherwood, Western's men's cross country team is ready to get the season underway.
Former coach Matt Roe and Sherwood have a history. When Sherwood entered his freshman year at the University of Portland, Roe was a fifth-year senior. They ran together on the cross country team for one season, then Roe headed to Western.
Roe, who recently left to pursue a coaching career at Long Beach State University, was a graduate assistant at Western and stayed on an additional year after he graduated so he could continue coaching the cross country team.
With Sherwood taking the helm, his newly-acquired team will begin its season at home with the WIU Early Bird Invitational held at Spring Lake Park Sept. 4.
Positions on the team are yet to be determined, but sophomore Peter Christakos seems to be the early favorite on the men's side.
"I expect (Christakos) to be the top runner on the team, but four others also have the potential to compete for the position," said Sherwood.
The four runners referred to above consist of freshman Kyle Mikowski, senior Zach Somers and the senior twin brothers Trevor and Tyler Birkmeier.
Mikowski offers plenty of promise in his first season with the Leathernecks, as he ran a swift 14.54 three mile his senior year in high school.
Sherwood expects the top five runners for the men's team to be about 20 seconds faster than last year's squad.
Also picked third, Sherwood said he feels the women's team is set to compete for the conference title.
Junior Sarah Swain is likely to be the top runner again this year. She may feel some heat from senior Karen Wartgow, but with impressive times last year and an overall solid work ethic, Swain is expected to remain on top.
The women's team did suffer the loss of several runners to graduation, but freshmen such as Shandel Ray, Stephanie Abram, Mary Scott and Beth Walan all performed well in high school and should be able to fill in some of the gaps left by last year's graduating class.
Ray, a Toledo, Ill. native, was runner-up in the Class A State Finals 3200-meter run.
Despite the coaching change, Sherwood said the mix of hardworking freshmen and seasoned upperclassmen should still form a successful team this year.
"A third-place ranking is good for us, but No. 2 Oakland will have home field advantage for the conference meet, so we've got our work cut out for us," Sherwood said.
Former coach Matt Roe and Sherwood have a history. When Sherwood entered his freshman year at the University of Portland, Roe was a fifth-year senior. They ran together on the cross country team for one season, then Roe headed to Western.
Roe, who recently left to pursue a coaching career at Long Beach State University, was a graduate assistant at Western and stayed on an additional year after he graduated so he could continue coaching the cross country team.
With Sherwood taking the helm, his newly-acquired team will begin its season at home with the WIU Early Bird Invitational held at Spring Lake Park Sept. 4.
Positions on the team are yet to be determined, but sophomore Peter Christakos seems to be the early favorite on the men's side.
"I expect (Christakos) to be the top runner on the team, but four others also have the potential to compete for the position," said Sherwood.
The four runners referred to above consist of freshman Kyle Mikowski, senior Zach Somers and the senior twin brothers Trevor and Tyler Birkmeier.
Mikowski offers plenty of promise in his first season with the Leathernecks, as he ran a swift 14.54 three mile his senior year in high school.
Sherwood expects the top five runners for the men's team to be about 20 seconds faster than last year's squad.
Also picked third, Sherwood said he feels the women's team is set to compete for the conference title.
Junior Sarah Swain is likely to be the top runner again this year. She may feel some heat from senior Karen Wartgow, but with impressive times last year and an overall solid work ethic, Swain is expected to remain on top.
The women's team did suffer the loss of several runners to graduation, but freshmen such as Shandel Ray, Stephanie Abram, Mary Scott and Beth Walan all performed well in high school and should be able to fill in some of the gaps left by last year's graduating class.
Ray, a Toledo, Ill. native, was runner-up in the Class A State Finals 3200-meter run.
Despite the coaching change, Sherwood said the mix of hardworking freshmen and seasoned upperclassmen should still form a successful team this year.
"A third-place ranking is good for us, but No. 2 Oakland will have home field advantage for the conference meet, so we've got our work cut out for us," Sherwood said.
Be the first to comment on this story