ACU Men’s Cross Country has high hopes for the 2010 season, having been picked to win the Lone Star Conference Title by the LSC’s preseason poll.
The men’s team received 217 total votes, with 17 first-place votes to be the conference leader.
Last year, the Wildcats earned their 19th straight conference title. Junior Amos Sang led the cross-country program, having been selected as the 2009 LSC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. Sang went on to the NCAA Division II National Championships, where he finished in fourth place overall. Sang feels very confident in his continued ability to perform at a high level.
“This year I feel really good.” Sang said. “I just need to keep working out to keep feeling a hundred percent.”
The Wildcats hope to add another conference championship with a well-experienced team. With five runners returning, the men are ready and poised as they head into the 2010 season.
“We’ll get it.” Sang said. “Everyone feels good and very confident.”
The Wildcats will also be celebrating the addition of James Grantham from Rend Lake College in Ina, Ill. Grantham comes to ACU as one of the top junior college runners. At the 2010 NJCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Grantham ran the one-mile in 4 minutes, 40.56 seconds.
The women’s cross country team hopes improve on a disappointing season last year, in which they finished eighth in the LSC.
The women’s team returns only two runners to the team, so they rely heavily on young talent. The Wildcats will be welcoming Alyse Goldsmith, Oklahoma State University transfer, bringing in a Division I talent who notched a 63rd place finish for the Cowgirls at the Big 12 Championship and helped OSU finish tenth.
The Wildcats feel like they have the potential to be much better than last year – if they stay away from injuries. Track and Field Head Coach Roosevelt Lofton believes in the abilities of the women’s team.
“The women might have a shot at the LSC title,” Roosevelt said. “We have a lot of good freshmen coming in.”
Both Wildcat teams will start the 2010 season in San Marcos at the Texas State Invitational on Sept. 9.
