2013 MIAC Men's Cross Country Preview
MIAC men's cross country preview courtesy of Matt Higgins and the MIAC office
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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A year ago, the St. Olaf men's cross country team ruled the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), running to an impressive victory at the conference championship race. In 2013, the top question is whether or not any of the contenders - which were closely grouped behind the Oles - have made enough progress to challenge St. Olaf for MIAC supremacy.
The Oles dazzled at the 2012 MIAC Championships, scoring 54 points and winning by a comfortable margin of 43 points. St. Olaf placed four in the top 14, five in the top 20 and all seven in the top 30, led by Grant Wintheiser, the MIAC's individual champ. Now a junior, Wintheiser and the Oles are again looking strong to lead Head Coach Phil Lundin's squad as they try to defend their title.
The next three teams in the standings couldn't get much closer, as St. Thomas finished second with 97 points, Bethel was third at 101 and Saint John's was just two more points back at 103. With just six points separating that trio, they return as the top contenders to the Oles' repeat hopes, and all three enter 2013 with high hopes.
Hamline (133) edged Carleton (139) a year ago for the final spot in the top five. Saint Mary's was just seven points behind the Knights at 146 to finish seventh, and all of the teams in that trio also hope to climb the MIAC leader board and challenge St. Olaf in 2013.
The final four teams in the standings were neck-and-neck as well, and all enter the new season with optimism for improvement. Macalester came in eighth a year ago with 242 points. Concordia was ninth with 248 points, and Augsburg and Gustavus tied for 10th to round out the standings, with identical team scores of 252.
As the 2013 season begins, optimism for the MIAC's teams is evident outside the league as well, with national and regional preseason rankings for several conference teams. The defending champion Oles start the season ranked No. 15 in Division III, with Saint John's joining the Oles in the poll at No. 30. The Carleton men also received votes in the poll, but finished just outside the top 35.
There were four MIAC teams to earn Central Region rankings, again starting with the Oles at No. 2 behind only Central (Iowa). St. Olaf is the defending Central Region champion. The Johnnies are right behind their MIAC counterpart at No. 3, while St. Thomas checks in at No. 6 and Carleton is ranked No. 10 in the region. The MIAC and IIAC tied with four ranked teams apiece, while the Midwest had one selection and the final was independent.
Between the returning talent, results from a season ago and preseason expectations, it's clear the 2013 season will certainly be an exciting one. Will St. Olaf reassert itself as the conference favorite? Which of the three other contenders from a year ago will emerge as the Oles' top threat in 2013? Which teams and individuals will make the biggest improvements between now and the MIAC Championships in early November? Over the next two months, those questions will all be answered.
WHAT'S NEW?
The only new name on the coaching front is Adam Frye, who was named the co-head coach at Hamline this summer. He joins MIAC veteran Paul Schmaedeke, who is beginning his milestone 25th season leading the Pipers.
Other than that, the consistency the conference has enjoyed in recent memory continued. Other than Frye, all of the MIAC coaches have been at their current posts for at least five seasons. Saint John's Tim Miles is also celebrating a milestone - he's the dean of the MIAC coaches and starting his 35th season with the Johnnies. Schmaedeke is the second-longest tenured coach, and the third-longest, Dennis Barker of Augsburg , is celebrating his 20th season leading the Auggies.
WHO'S BACK?
Who's back for the defending champions at St. Olaf? Almost everyone. Two of the Oles' key contributors graduated in Chris Massey and Tim Lillehaugen, but the rest of the lineup returns, starting with Wintheiser. In addition to his MIAC win, he also was the Central Region champ and he finished third at the NCAA Division III meet. Wintheiser enters as a favorite to defend his MIAC title, and compete for a national championship as well. Fellow All-MIAC runners Brian Saksa and Jake Campbell are also back to lead Lundin's team on their quest to repeat.
St. Thomas benefitted from the emergence of sophomore Keaton Wendroth a year ago, and he enters his junior season as one of the MIAC's most talented runners. Fellow All-Conference honoree Ethan Armbuster returns, as does fellow junior C.J. Seifert, to give Head Coach Pete Wareham and talented nucleus to try and challenge St. Olaf for the top spot in the league.
Bethel graduated one star in Zach Haskins, but returns another in junior Matt Berens, who was third at the MIAC meet in 2012. Berens also started 2013 strong, winning MIAC Athlete-of-the-Week honors to open the season. Sophomore Matthew Poss and junior Harrison Hitt are also back for Bethel this season.
Saint John's returns everyone from last year's fourth-place team, starting with senior John Subialka, who was an All-MIAC runner. Fellow senior Willie Versen is also back, along with sophomore Thomas Feichtinger, who had a breakout track season as a freshman and hopes to carry that over to cross country. Hamline graduated a pair of All-MIAC runners in Brendan Ruter and Nate Dobbins, but hopes to reload with senior co-captain Colin Rogers, sophomore Nathan Rock and junior Chris Gill.
Carleton returns two if its top runners, starting with senior star Marcus Huderle, who is a two-time All-MIAC selection. All-MIAC Honorable Mention senior Guthrie Cunningham also returns, as does classmate Jacob Hoerger. Saint Mary's will also try to replace a pair of talented runners in Jake Traxler and Peter Borash, but junior Aaron Haley will be back to lead the Cardinals again after an All-MIAC season in 2012. Senior John Soucheray and sophomore Jase Pater will add to SMU's nucleus in 2013.
Macalester lost its top runner from a year ago in Andy Keefe, but has a pair of talented juniors back to lead the way in 2013. Joe Giamberdino and Dylan Saul will be among the Scots leaders this season. Concordia is excited about Ryan Sederquist's upcoming senior season, who started the season with a second-place finish last weekend. Junior Henry Dobbs is also back to help lead the Cobbers in 2013.
Back to lead Augsburg this season is a pair of juniors who represented the Auggies at the MIAC Championships a year ago - Ahmed Nur and Luke Iverson. Gustavus has two of its top runners back as the Gusties look for improvement in 2013. Sophomore Leighton Becher and senior Joe Reiner both return to lead Gustavus this season.
CIRCLE THESE DATES
Clearly the first date any MIAC men's cross country fan will want to circle on the 2013 calendar is Saturday, Nov. 2. That's the date the conference's 11 teams will come together to compete for the title at the 2013 MIAC Cross Country Championships. The race will again be held at St. Paul's Como Park Golf Course, with the men's 8K race scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m. Spectators are welcome, and the MIAC web site will be a great resource for previews, details, results, recaps, photos and more.
There are several other races of interest throughout the season, starting with a pair each featuring a handful of MIAC teams in late September. St. Olaf will host the St. Olaf Invitational, which will feature the Oles, Carleton, Gustavus and Macalester, on Sept. 21. A week later, on Sept. 28, Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Hamline and Macalester will all run at the University of Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational, which is always a highlight of the fall.
On Oct. 4, Carleton, Gustavus, Macalester, Saint John's, Saint Mary's and St. Olaf will all travel into Wisconsin to run at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Open. Finally, most of the league will compete against one another on Oct. 19 at the UW-La Crosse Jim Drews Invitational in La Crosse, Wis. Augsburg, Carleton, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Saint John's, Saint Mary's, St. Olaf and St. Thomas will all be in the field in the final big tune-up prior to the MIAC meet.