BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace men's and women's cross country teams will look for continued strides and growth in second-year Head Coach Joe Eby's system during the 2016 campaign.
The BW men, who finished fifth at last year's Ohio Athletic Conference Championships and 17th at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Championships, were picked fifth in the OAC Coaches Preseason Poll.
Juniors Brady Jeffers (South Amherst/Firelands) and Evan Milovich (Westlake) lead return as the top runners on a squad that returns six letterwinners and welcomes five newcomers. Jeffers and Milovich will be called upon to be the leaders and will look to improve on their finishes at the OAC Championships and in the region.
In addition, the team returns juniors Justin Swords (Brunswick) and Dylan Tanner (Mentor) and sophomores Spencer Mahon (North Royalton) and Phil Spronz (Strongsville), who all competed in the three championships a year ago.
Sophomore Holden Daly (Vermilion), who only competed in track last season, along with freshmen Nick Irwin (Westlake), Shane Thatcher (Huron), Ben Tornow (Louisville) and Issac Wilson (Tylersburg, Pa./North Clarion) look to make an impact this fall.
The Yellow Jacket women, who placed sixth at the OAC Championships and had only one runner compete at the Great Lakes Regional Championships, were selected sixth in the OAC Coaches Preseason Poll.
Sophomore All-OAC performer Kelly Brennan (Akron/Walsh Jesuit) returns as the top runner on a squad of four three letterwinners and nine newcomers. As a freshman, Brennan finished fourth at the OAC Championships, placed 24th at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Championships and was an All-Ohio performer with her fifth place finish at the All-Ohio Championships.
In addition, senior Alivia Stephan (Carey) and Hannah Fredriksen (Hamburg, N.Y.) will be called on for leadership as both competed at last year's OAC Championships and Great Lakes Regional Championship.
Junior Elizabeth Anielski (Walton Hills/Trinity) and sophomore Mackenzie Moran (Carlisle, Pa.), who are each competing in their first season, and freshmen Jordan Dascani (Toledo/Springfield), Katie Fowler (Mount Vernon), Claire Makowski (Betherl Park, Pa.), Hannah Nagy (Belmont/Linsly), Bella Pendola (Warsaw/River River View) and Annie Quisno (Port Clinton/Oak Harbor) look to leave a footprint on the region this fall.
The Yellow Jackets open the 2016 season on Thursday, September 1 when they travel to Wooster to compete at the annual College of Wooster Invitational. The All-Ohio Division III Championships hosted by Cedarville University will be contested on Friday, September 30. The OAC Championships hosted by Capital University will be run on Saturday, October 29.
