VMI Track and Field Season Preview

Women's Cross Country VMIKeydets.com

BSC Women's Cross Country Championships - Scouting the Opposition

In what could be the closest Big South Championship race ever, the VMI women's cross country team is expected to be at the forefront of the title chase Saturday morning in Blacksburg, Va. A VMI win would mark the Institute's first cross country title since 1960, and the Keydets' first conference title in any sport since joining the Big South Conference. The race is set to go off at 10:30 a.m.
 
VMI, however, will be joined in the title hunt by three quality teams - Liberty, High Point and Coastal Carolina. A brief preview of these teams, including discussion of their top five runners statistically, is available below. Fans can look for other extensive preview information discussing the Keydets as the week progresses here on VMIKeydets.com.

High Point

High Point comes off a performance that Panther coach Mike Esposito called the team's best outing in two years. The team finished sixth at the Blue Ridge Open, defeating a list of teams that included VMI. In doing so, the Panthers showed a great deal of depth, as the gap between their first and seventh-place runners was under 45 seconds. HPU was second at the Big South Preview, run on the same course in Blacksburg late in September, so that experience may prove to aid the Panthers.

Expected Top Five

Emily Webb, Sr. - 35th at Blue Ridge Open...was sixth at the Big South Preview (19:36)...has twice finished in the top 16 at the Big South Championship, including last year's All-Conference (8th) finish...one of the more experienced, veteran runners in the Big South.

Kaylyn Peck, So. - HPU's #2 runner at the Big South Preview (19:46), finishing 10th...led team at season-opening Covered Bridge Open, placing 12th...did not compete in any cross country meets during her freshman season, but did place eighth in the 1,500 at the Big South Outdoor Championships.

Audrey Malloy, Fr. - Was 24th at the Big South Preview, High Point's #7 runner, but has shown a great deal of improvement since then...finished just 13 seconds behind Peck at the Blue Ridge Open, ranking as HPU's #3 harrier...was 284th at the Paul Short Invitational.

Kelsey Hunt, So. - Was 12th at the BSC Preview (19:57)...ran a 22:48 at the Paul Short Invitational...posted a time of 19:01 at the Blue Ridge Open.

Monica Delizo, Sr. - Could help stabilize the back end of the High Point lineup, thanks to her experience...rounded out the team's scoring at the Blue Ridge Open...was 30th at last year's Big South Championship.

Coastal Carolina

The Chanticleers, who did not send a team to September's Big South Preview, are led by graduate student Jamie Brusa. Brusa, a transfer from Illinois, could be a contender for the overall title at this meet. At the Blue Ridge Open, Coastal sat Brusa out, but saw its 2-4 competitors place within 10 spots (and 13 seconds) of each other.

Expected Top Five

Jamie Brusa, Gs. - Brusa led Coastal to its best outing of the year in her last race, running at the Walt Disney World Classic in Orlando, Fla...CCU was third out of 24 teams, with Brusa placing 11th overall in 18:19...the first-year Chanticleer was 56th at last year's Big Ten Championships and 207th at the NCAA Championships...one of the meet's three title favorites, along with Liberty's Jen Klugh and VMI's Hannah Granger.

Seanna Kautz, Fr. - Could join her teammate Emily Marchini to be Tammy Cheung's main competitor for Freshman of the Year honors...was 40th at the Blue Ridge Open, 16 seconds behind Cheung...was third at the Coastal Carolina Invitational, running an 18:31 5K...posted an 18:19 5K, just two seconds behind Brusa, at the Gamecock Open.

Emily Marchini, Fr. - Has been a consistent #3 for Coastal in her freshman year...dark horse for BSC Freshman of the Year honors...was 15th at the Walt Disney World Classic, with a season-best 5K of 18:24...was 43rd at the Blue Ridge Open.

Janel Reeves, So. - Was the #2 freshman at last year's Big South meet, trailing only VMI's Jenna Moye...ran an 18:20 5K at the Gamecock Open...has sat out each of Coastal's last two meets for an unknown reason.

Christian Johnson, Jr. - 2008 Big South Freshman of the Year...All-Big South in the 800-meters during last year's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field seasons...also All-Conference in the Indoor Mile...ran a season-best 18:29 5K at the Walt Disney World Classic to finish 18th.

Liberty

The Lady Flames, last year's conference champions, are structured much the same as the Keydets. The top three for both schools could be in the top 5-6 overall, something that is much less likely for High Point and Coastal Carolina. That means, however, that the key to success for both Liberty and VMI is the production from the #4 and #5 runners.

In Liberty's case, the top three of Jen Klugh, Dacia Bushman and Hailey Neal is formidable, and the back end of the lineup will consist of a combination of individuals, including Khristina Kanagy, Katie Russo and Denise Troyer. In addition, the Lady Flames enter ranked 10th in the region according to the latest USTFCCCA poll.

Expected Top Five

Jen Klugh, R-So. - One of the three runners expected to contend for the overall title, along with CCU's Brusa and VMI's Granger...Klugh is peaking at the right time, having won two of the last three Big South Runner of the Week honors...one of those came at the Paul Short Run, when she posted a 20:58 6K time to set a new Liberty school record.

Dacia Bushman, Sr. - Was second to Granger at last year's BSC Championships...also second to the VMI standout in the 5K at the 2010 Big South Indoor Championships, and posted a runner-up finish to Granger in the 10K at the 2009 Big South Outdoor meet...Granger has won three conference titles, and Bushman has finished runner-up to her in all three of those races.

Hailey Neal, Sr. - Was 12th at last year's conference meet, but then went on to have a breakout track season...is expected to be a major player on Saturday...that breakout track campaign was highlighted by an ECAC qualifying time in the steeplechase, where she ranks #2 on Liberty's all-time list...also was third in the mile during the indoor campaign.

Rod-Esther Castor, Sr. - Was one of the keys to Liberty's title last year, finishing with her career-best effort at the 2009 BSC XC meet...was 13th that day, and came home as the Lady Flames' #4 runner...also was 8th in the 800 at last year's Big South outdoor track meet.

Khristina Kanagy, So./Katie Russo, Fr./Denise Troyer, Jr. - Troyer has finished fifth in Liberty's lineup at each of her first two Big South meets, which also, coincidentally, placed her 17th both times...Russo is a highly touted freshman recruit who has yet to break through…Kanagy was 10th in the 5K at last year's Indoor track championships.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Tammy Cheung

Tammy Cheung

Freshman
Hannah Granger

Hannah Granger

Senior
Jenna Moye

Jenna Moye

Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Tammy Cheung

Tammy Cheung

Freshman
Hannah Granger

Hannah Granger

Senior
Jenna Moye

Jenna Moye

Sophomore