Emporia State Cross Country
at
JK Gold Classic
4 Mile Creek Resort (Formally RAFT Course) • Augusta, KS
Saturday, September 1 • Men's 6K at 8:30 a.m./Women's 4K at 9:00 a.m.
Up Next: Southern Stampede
Saturday, September 15 • Women at 8:30 a.m./Men at 9:45 a.m.
Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course • Joplin, Mo.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Emporia State opens the 2018 cross country season at the 70th Annual J.K. Gold Invitational hosted by Wichita State in Augusta, Kan. It is the first of five regular season meets for the Hornets. Emporia State will host three home meets this year, culminating with the MIAA Championships in November.
MIAA PRESEASON POLLS
The Emporia State men are ranked seventh and the women tenth in the MIAA Preseason Cross Country Coaches Polls released today. The men's poll was extremely tight as four teams received at least one first place vote with ties at the second and fifth positions. The Hornets tallied 52 points to place just two points out of fifth. The women's poll had a bit more separation with the only tie coming in the tenth spot between Emporia State and Central Oklahoma.
THE COACHES
Steven Blocker is in his eighth year as the head coach for the Emporia State track and field/cross country programs. He served as an assistant with the Hornets beginning in 2009 working primarily with the sprinters, jumpers and multi-event athletes. He has produced 60 All-Americans and 30 MIAA Champions in his first seven years as head coach after coaching 14 All-Americans, six MIAA Champions and an NCAA Division II National Champion as an assistant for the Hornets.
Dr. Mark Stanbrough returns to Emporia State as an assistant coach in track and field in charge of the middle distance and distance runners and heads up the cross country program. Stanbrough was the head men's and women's track and field and cross country coach for the Hornets from 1984-1992. During that span the Hornets were a national power. Stanbrough was named NAIA District 10 Coach of the Year 11 times, coached 28 Athletes to 60 NAIA All-American Honors, and coached eleven national champions. The cross country harriers had two top five national finishes, with the women national runner-ups and the men placing fifth.
ABOUT THE HORNETS
The Hornet men were fifth at last year's MIAA Cross Country Championships and placed ninth at the Central Regional, Senior Gabe Sams is the top returner for the Emporia State men. He was the second runner for the Hornets at the NCAA Regional last season and placed 38th overall. He was 33rd in the MIAA Championships.
The Hornet women were 11th at the conference meet and did not field a full team at the cross country regional. Senior Leah Nelson is the top returner and was the top finisher in the final three meets of last year for Emporia State.
RANKINGS
The MIAA has two teams ranked in the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association Preseason Top 25. The Pittsburg State women are ranked tenth while the Missouri Southern men are ranked 20th nationally.
LAST TIME AT JK GOLD
Brian Newkirk placed third overall as the Emporia State men placed fourth overall and won the collegiate division of the JK Gold Classic in Augusta, Kan. The Hornet women placed ninth overall and fifth in their division.
Newkirk ran 18:35.9 over the six kilometer course as the top four Hornets all ran under 20 minutes. Gabe Sams was the second runner for Emporia State finishing 32nd overall in 19:36.1 while Aaron Taylor ran19:48.3 to place 36th overall. Cole Bosley was the fourth Hornet under 20 minutes, finishing 39th in 19:54.5 while Thomas LaRoche ran 20:03.7 to place 43rd and round out the Emporia State scoring.
Freshman Nora Wheatley ran 16.36.3 to place 79th to lead the Emporia State women. Christina Wankum was right behind running 16:39.5 to place 80th on the four kilometer course. Devyn Smith ran 16:59.9 to place 84th as the Hornets third runner.
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Joplin, Mo. to take part in the Southern Stampede hosted by Missouri Southern on Sept. 15. Action on the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. for the women's 5 kilometer race and 9:45 a.m. for the men's 8 kilometer race.
