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The future of Christian Brothers University Cross Country is looking bright.
After disappointing finishes at the Gulf South Conference meet a year ago,
the Bucs and Lady Bucs are looking to get back on track in 2005. The Bucs showed
signs of promise last season with a top five finish at Harding and having Ben
Knoerschild named an All-Conference runner at the GSC meet.
A strong recruiting class awaits second-year coach Bill Hoffman for
the 2005 season. All-State runners, Stephen Hill and Francis
Ginski will lead the way with the help of John Waldorf, Andrew
Hayden and Jordan Michael. Hill was a top recruit in
the South and will have an immediate impact in the Gulf South Conference and
also at the regional level. Hill holds his school's two-mile record and was a Commercial
Appeal Best of Preps selection in 2003, 04, and 05. Ginski, a member of
Houston High School's 2003 and 04 state championship squads will help to put
a one two punch in the line up that CBU has never seen. Michael competed in soccer,
cross country and track all four years at Bolton High School. He was a two-time
all-region selection, and was named the Bolton High School Male Athlete of the
Year in 2005. Ryan Ross, Daniel Syzdek, and James Ndirangu will
round out the Bucs' weekend lineup.
The Lady Bucs are also showing improvements. Top recruits Kelly Summons and Alicia
Scarborough will lead the way this year. Summons was a four-time Commercial
Appeal Best of Preps selection at St. Agnes Academy for coach Jay Mathis.
Scarborough was her team's MVP for two years and was a four-year letter winner
with Houston's track team, earning All-Region and All-Sectional honors. Seniors Laura
Kreager and Jenny Mohan, as well as sophomore Ashley
Prevost return to provide excellent leadership for a young squad this
season. Helen Bouchawe, Heather Gosnell, Lori Stewart, Charlene Yeung, and Emily
Wong will all see action for the Lady Bucs.
Hoffman has lofty goals this season for the Bucs and Lady Bucs, but among them,
most important is the overall success of the program.
"I sincerely believe we can make a serious dent in the cross-country
landscape of not only the GSC, but at the regional level, as well," Hoffman
said. "I not only want a runner to qualify for nationals, but I'd like
to see our whole team start qualifying in the near future."
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