Aug. 6, 2003

The 2003 edition of the University of Northern Colorado cross country team can still be considered a youth movement. After back-to-back seasons that saw the Bears finish sixth and 11th at the Division II Championships, the Bears' team has gotten younger the past two years.

Last season, UNC did not have much team success but were led by two-time cross country All-American Miranda Ernst, who finished sixth at the 2002 NCAA Championships, was an Academic All-American and a NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winner.

"Miranda was a great runner and our leader," said UNC head cross country coach Dr. Scott Hall, who enters his 11th season with the cross county program and 19th year with the university. "She had a great season last year for us. Our team was young last year and we are still young this year. The big thing is that our young athletes gained some experience last year and will use that to improve this year."

But Ernst completed her eligibility, leaving the role of leader of the team to a group of 10 returnees and 10 newcomers. Those 20 athletes will help lead the team from its spot in Division II to Division I, a four-year reclassification process that will keep the Bears out of any NCAA postseason for the next four years.

"We are going to give them a positive experience in collegiate cross country even though we cannot compete in any postseason," Hall said. "But the Division I Independent Championships will be an important way to close our season against some teams in the same position as we are."

Some of those teams who will participate at the Independent Championships will include UC-Davis (who is also in their first year of reclassification) and host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. UNC will also host the annual Dan Libera Memorial on Oct. 11.

"We expect some of the same teams as last year at the Dan Libera again this season," Hall said. "Our athletes always look forward to competing in that event and getting to chance to run fast at home."

Of the returnees, junior Megan Stenbeck and senior Mandy Bedosky, two of five total upperclassman, could step up and be leaders for the Bears. Stenbeck finished 42nd at the 2002 NCC Championships while Bedosky was 89th.

"Megan was a solid runner for us last year and Bedosky was near the bottom of the pack at the beginning of the season and improved dramatically last season and scored in the conference championships," Hall said.

Another contender for a lead role is junior Katie Callahan, who was also very consistent last year, placing 33rd at the conference meet and 63rd at the region, and was the team runner-up to Ernst in six of the seven full team races in 2002.

The remainder of the returnees include junior Chelsea Lyons, who missed most of last season with a broken leg and sophomores Tara Hettler, Shannon Kellogg, Kelsey Leonard, Beth Schlageck and Breanne Shupe and freshman Lauren Mardosz. Shupe and Mardosz each redshirted last season.

"Chelsea ran in the NCAA Championships two years ago and broke her leg in a bike/truck accident last summer and we expect her to do well this year," Hall said. "Tara also gained a lot of experience and Shannon has the potential to be a good runner, she was just hurt most of last season."

The newcomers include Carolyn Brug, Lacey Darien, Heather Eisele, Amy Engbretson, Chantelle Erickson, Ashley Grams, Christine Hertneky, Angela Kitchens, Bridget McNamara and Becca Millet.

"Chantelle is probably our most talented member among our 10 newcomers. But we expect the entire class to come in and look to compete right away.

"We still have a long ways to go," Hall continued. "There is some talent there, it is just a matter of improving over the next couple of years. These athletes will be good runners down the road. The master plan is to add a couple of good runners to that group every year and be ready when we are a full Division I member."