The William Jewell Cross Country teams enter the 2005 season with great expectations and high hopes for the new year. Head Coach Terry Yee and Assistant Coach Brian Belt are very excited about “what could be” for these two teams and the excellent group of young people to work with and develop. Jewell will need to replace five excellent runners on the men’s team, but will be returning all of the women’s team but one.

The Men’s team returns a good core of runners in Senior Andy Wommack and Juniors Luis Guzman and Nick Helzer, and Sophomore Aaron Mick. They will be joined by some promising recruits in James Murphy, Nathan Allen, and Andrew Trapp. All three of these runners come from a very good Jefferson City High School program. The men will also have a good runner in newcomer Darin Smith, a returning student who did not run last year. Yee looks for this young team to develop over the year and come together and continue to run like the fine teams of the past and enjoy much success.                                                                                          

The women will be returning their top runners in Alex Braden, Lindsey Beckwith, Sarah Rahal, Monica Silvey, and Katie Heaton. The group will be joined by an excellent recruiting class in Abby Huston (Red Oak, IA), Shannon Anderson (Putnam County, MO), Paula Mahlburg (St. Joseph, MO), Betsy Waddle (Kirksville, MO) and, Michaela Taylor (Centennial, CO). Also joining the ranks will be returning student Molly La Boube, an excellent multi-event track athlete who did not run cross county last year due to rehabilitation from knee surgery. The Women’s team worked hard last year and showed great development and came on strong in the end of the season. With a strong group returning and very good freshman class, this team should perform even better this year.

Both teams have hopes to place high in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) as well as sending many athletes to Nationals through a tough conference and NAIA Region. Jewell will run against some of the best NAIA and NCAA Div I, II and III teams in the nation each week and looks to continue to excel in the fine tradition and history of running at WJC.