2007 Cross Country Season Outlook

The William Jewell 2007 men’s and women’s cross country teams will have some very talented runners with returnees and newcomers to the programs. The women's team has more experience and some new key runners will add even more depth.

The men's team will be small but with talent and is still rebuilding with hopes of adding to a strong tradition of great WJC male runners.

On the women’s side, the top returnees will be senior Alex Braden, junior Michaela Taylor, senior Jennifer Ghidoni, sophomore Betsy Waddle, junior Abby Huston, sophomore Alecia Valencia, junior Shannon Anderson, sophomore Paula Mahlburg and sophomore Sarah Jacobson. All will help to make the women’s team very competitive.

Newcomers to the women’s program are two notable first-year performers from Missouri. Bethany Moore, from Kickapoo High School, in Springfield and Stacy Reichel, from Kirksville High School in Kirksville. Both were great runners in cross country and track & field throughout their high school careers and will be great additions to the team.

On the men’s side our top returnees will be senior Aaron Mick, junior Andrew Trapp, sophomore Brian Gehrlein and sophomore Ian Talbot.

The men’s team will have two newcomers to the program in Jesse Funk from Winnetonka High School in Kansas City, Mo., and Junior Tyler Folan from Lafayette High School in Chesterfield, Mo. Jesse was one of the top runners on his team and a very hard worker. Tyler is a fine runner added to the team for first time this year and both look to be running with the rest of the upperclassmen.

The William Jewell College cross country teams will open the 2007 season at the Baker University Invitational in Baldwin City, Kan., on September 1 at 10 a.m.