Tech is one-month into the cross country season and we really don't have a lot to go on. The Red Raiders have run in 2 very low-key meets, with mixed results. I got to see Tech run in the ACU meet - usually I don't make it to see any XC meets in person, so I do have some first hand knowledge on the teams. Tomorrow, Tech runs in the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville. It is always a huge field and as good of competition as Tech will see prior to the Big 12 and regional meets.
I looked at the Mountain Region standings yesterday and the Tech men are ranked 14th and the women are unranked.
Here is what I can tell about the teams thus far:
MEN - the men got clobbered by a very good UTEP team in the mountains outside Ruidoso, then came back and won over a mediocre ACU team. I did feel like Tech's #1 runner, Evans Tuitoek (who was 36th in the Big 12 meet last year), looked better than I have seen him run since he came to Tech. Tech's #2, Miguel Bautista from Long Beach, CA, has also improved drastically from last year, when he was 52nd at the Big 12 meet. Most of the kids on this year's team are youngsters -- sophomores Bautista, Ebenether Wondaferew, Clark Blunt; RS Freshmen Joacim Zuniga, Todd Mickey and Jared Mayoral. I also found out that Nick Rivera is redshirting during this XC season, but will still run on the track this coming spring.
The men appear to be a little strong than last year, but having Nick redshirting may push them back a bit. This team finished 7th at the Big 12 meet in 2014 and may be capable of moving up another notch. We will know a lot more after the Chile Pepper tomorrow.
WOMEN - the Tech women beat both UTEP and NM State in Ruidoso, then got clobbered by an ACU team that is one of the surprises of the year in this region (UT narrowly defeated ACU last weekend and ACU beat TAMU on their home course). Tech lost their top 2 of their top 3 runners from last season to graduation - Sharlene Nickle and Madeline Livergood. Tech's #1 runner is pretty much a tossup between Jocelyn Caro (26th in the Big 12 last year) and Hattie Schunk, who ran on the track for Tech last spring, but is new to XC at Tech. Newcomers Lyndi Hanson (transfer from South Plains) and freshman Rianna Randolph, from Southlake Carroll, look like they may push into Tech's top 7.
Tech looks to be about equal to last year's team that only finished 9th at the Big 12 meet. This weekend will give us a much better idea of how well they can do against a big field of solid runners.
I looked at the Mountain Region standings yesterday and the Tech men are ranked 14th and the women are unranked.
Here is what I can tell about the teams thus far:
MEN - the men got clobbered by a very good UTEP team in the mountains outside Ruidoso, then came back and won over a mediocre ACU team. I did feel like Tech's #1 runner, Evans Tuitoek (who was 36th in the Big 12 meet last year), looked better than I have seen him run since he came to Tech. Tech's #2, Miguel Bautista from Long Beach, CA, has also improved drastically from last year, when he was 52nd at the Big 12 meet. Most of the kids on this year's team are youngsters -- sophomores Bautista, Ebenether Wondaferew, Clark Blunt; RS Freshmen Joacim Zuniga, Todd Mickey and Jared Mayoral. I also found out that Nick Rivera is redshirting during this XC season, but will still run on the track this coming spring.
The men appear to be a little strong than last year, but having Nick redshirting may push them back a bit. This team finished 7th at the Big 12 meet in 2014 and may be capable of moving up another notch. We will know a lot more after the Chile Pepper tomorrow.
WOMEN - the Tech women beat both UTEP and NM State in Ruidoso, then got clobbered by an ACU team that is one of the surprises of the year in this region (UT narrowly defeated ACU last weekend and ACU beat TAMU on their home course). Tech lost their top 2 of their top 3 runners from last season to graduation - Sharlene Nickle and Madeline Livergood. Tech's #1 runner is pretty much a tossup between Jocelyn Caro (26th in the Big 12 last year) and Hattie Schunk, who ran on the track for Tech last spring, but is new to XC at Tech. Newcomers Lyndi Hanson (transfer from South Plains) and freshman Rianna Randolph, from Southlake Carroll, look like they may push into Tech's top 7.
Tech looks to be about equal to last year's team that only finished 9th at the Big 12 meet. This weekend will give us a much better idea of how well they can do against a big field of solid runners.
