Men's Cross Country Looks for MAC Title
10/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 28, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio - Aiming for its first Mid-American Conference title since 1998, the Miami University men's cross country team makes the short trek to Muncie, Ind. Saturday to run in the MAC Championship, hosted by Ball State at Muncie Elks Country Club. The 8K race begins at 11 a.m. and is followed by the women's race at noon.
The RedHawks have captured two MAC crowns under head coach Warren Mandrell, in 1997 and 1998, but have not placed worse than fourth in a MAC Championship since 1995. Last year, Miami tied for second with Kent State with 94 points while Eastern Michigan won the league crown with 66 points in the nine-team race. Host Ball State, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan do not sponsor men's teams.
Miami returns three of its five scorers from a year ago, led by First-Team All-MAC performer redshirt junior David Eichenberger (Plainfield, Ind.), who finished fourth overall. Junior Jarrod Eick (Hartville, Ohio) was the third RedHawk to finish, crossing in 21st, while redshirt sophomore Matt Marol (Evanston, Ill.) rounded out Miami's scoring five in 32nd place in his first MAC race. Sophomore Dave Wing (Naperville, Ill.) was the seventh RedHawk finisher, claiming 39th in his first conference meet as well.
Three MAC schools are ranked in the latest USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Poll with the defending champion Eagles leading the way at No. 7. Central Michigan is ranked 10th while Kent State sits at No. 11. Miami was ranked in the regional poll earlier in the season but fell out after its last race. Buffalo is also ranked No. 13 in the Northeast Region Poll.
In Miami's last race at the Penn State National Meet on Oct. 14, the RedHawks finished ninth out of 21 teams while struggling in muddy, rainy conditions. Miami finished ahead of MAC rival Akron but behind Buffalo. Wing led the way for the first time in his career, finishing in 31st place while Eick, who has been Miami's top finisher three times (winning two races) and second twice this year, was right behind in 33rd. Marol was the third `Hawk to cross in 55th while redshirt junior Brett Wagner (Toledo, Ohio) was the fourth scorer in 61st. Freshman Ryan Moncrieff (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) rounded out the scoring five in 68th. Eichenberger missed the meet due to an injury while redshirt freshman Daniel Garleb (Pickerington, Ohio), who has scored for Miami four times this year, was the sixth RedHawk finisher.
Following the MAC Championship, Miami runs at the Great Lakes Regional Championship on Saturday, Nov. 12 in Toledo, Ohio where the RedHawks will try to earn a spot in the NCAA Championship, which is Nov. 21.
--MURedHawks.com--Players Mentioned
