The Shawnee State University Men’s Cross Country Team is expecting big things this season and they are counting on experience and depth to guide the way.  The Bear return eleven runners from last season’s squad which finished 3^rd in the AMC Champions, just a point shy of 2^nd place Cedarville.  In addition, there are 11 new runners to the cross country roster this season.  The Bears which got their highest preseason poll ranking of 14^th in the NAIA are against top competition this season while they battle preseason #1 ranked and last season’s NAIA Cross Country Champions, Malone University, as well as preseason ranked #10 Cedarville.

Leading the Bears this season is senior Keagan Rathkamp (Chillicothe, OH).  Rathkamp was the Bears’ top runner last season and earned 2^nd Team All-AMC honors.  Other top 5 runners returning this season include senior Chris Roush (Gallipolis, OH), junior Joe Jinks (Chillicothe, OH), and sophomore Michael Owens (Reedsville, OH).  Also returning this season are senior Zach Holbert (Chillicothe, OH), junior Tyler Hickey (Seaman, OH) and sophomores Justin Hornick (Johnstown, OH), Chuck Wentz (Proctorville, OH), Josh Linkous (South Webster, OH), Sam Ruhl (Mount Gilead, OH), and Brian Truitt (Batavia, OH).

Newcomers this season include sophomore Weston Thobaben (Brooklyn, OH) and freshmen Chris Anderson (Chillicothe, OH), Reece Brown (Lucasville, OH), Josh Counts (New Boston, OH), Jeff Hodge (Wilmington, OH), Daniel Johnson (Somerset, OH), Shane Meyer (Rockbridge, OH), James Scalf (Munroe Falls, OH), Josh Smith (Otway, OH), Andrew Stephan (Piqua, OH), and Blake Wysocki.         

The Bears face a competitive schedule which begins with the Shawnee State Invitational on September 5^th.  The schedule also included the Friendship Invitational, Greater Louisville Classic, All-Ohio Invitational, Aquinas Invitational, the AMC Championships at Cleveland, OH, and the NAIA National Championships at Kenosha, WI. 

2007 Outlook