Young Southeast Missouri State cross country teams picked in OVC's top half

Young but talented.

Second-year coach Ryan Lane said that is a perfect description for the Southeast Missouri State cross country teams.

Southeast's men have just one senior and four juniors among their 13 runners.

The women feature only one senior and two juniors among their 12 runners.

"The girls are very young. The guys are actually more experienced than they look," said Lane, whose squads open the season Saturday at the Washington University Early Bird in St. Louis. "I'm excited. I think we're going to have a very good season, and I think we'll be strong for a number of years."

Southeast's men finished second at last year's Ohio Valley Conference Championships, marking their fifth straight top-four finish at the meet that largely defines the season.

Southeast's women were fifth at the 2010 OVC Championships. They, along with the men, are picked to finish third in the 10-team conference this year in a preseason poll voted on by the league's coaches.

Eastern Kentucky's men and women both are favored heavily to win their sixth consecutive conference titles. Eastern Illinois is picked second in both divisions.

"I think our men are ahead of the rest of the conference other than Eastern Kentucky, and we're shooting for top 12 in the region," said Lane, a former Southeast runner and assistant coach. "I think our women have a good chance to get third and push Eastern Illinois for second."

Southeast's men return just three of their top seven runners from last year's OVC meet, including only one from a foursome that finished among the conference's top 13.

The Redhawks are led by junior Nate Shipley, a former OVC freshman of the year who was ninth at the 2010 conference meet.

Junior Tyler Mullen was 20th at last year's OVC, while sophomore Brent Collins finished 23rd and junior Alex Zisser was 33rd despite suffering a sprained ankle early in the race.

"Nate is looking good. We're excited about him," Lane said. "And the next three are all ahead of where they were last year."

Also back are senior Max Wieser, a Saxony Lutheran High School graduate who primarily runs cross country to stay in shape for his middle-distance events in track, junior Joel Krause and sophomore Patrick Yates.

Another local product for the men is sophomore Tyson Stoverink. The Jackson High School graduate is in his first season of cross country after competing for the Southeast track team last year.

Lane expects contributions from at least a couple of Southeast's five freshmen: Ryan Anderson, Tyler Holmes, Craig Munie, Colten Strotheide and Mohamad Abdillahi.

Southeast's women lost their top three runners, including two who placed among the top 20 at the 2010 conference meet. But the Redhawks return their other four athletes who participated at the OVC Championships.

Junior Tiffany Mead, a Central High School graduate, was 49th, followed by junior Christy Hazel (52nd), sophomore Samantha Thierry (62nd) and sophomore Madalyn Stichnot (75th).

"Tiffany had a great spring in track. She's more of a middle-distance girl who helps out in cross country," Lane said.

The Redhawks' anticipated No. 1 runner wasn't even in the program last year.

Senior Jessica Bollinger transferred to Southeast from William Woods in January and excelled on the track.

"She's one of the best female runners we've had in a long time," Lane said.

The rest of the squad is made up of seven freshmen, including local high school products Mary Dohogne from Central and Melanie Lacey from Scott City.

"It's always exciting to have local athletes," Lane said. "I think both are going to come in and be top 25 in the conference if they stay healthy."

Other freshmen are Nichole Beffa, Jenny Govero, Rebekah Lawson, Alyson Martin and Gloria Westlake.