SSU WOMEN EYE NATIONAL MEET

The 2003 Women's cross country team rose to the challenge and had its most successful season in school history despite three key runners suffering major injuries.  The Bears had a record 85 wins and captured the Hagen Stone Classic, and finished 6th at the American Mid-East Conference Cross Country Championships, and 6th at the NAIA Region IX Cross Country Championships.  Along the way, they recorded 18 of the 25 fastest times ever run at SSU.  Freshman Megan Ball became the first SSU women runner to qualify for the NAIA National Cross Country Championships at Louisville, KY.

The 2004 eleven meet schedule is very demanding.  The schedule includes the the Tiffin/Heidelberg Invitational, the Winthrop University Invitational, the Rio Grande Invitational, the All-Ohio Invitational, the Wilmington College Fall Classic and the Southeastern Classic, the AMC and NAIA Region IX Championships at Seaton Hill University in Greensburg PA and the NAIA National Cross Country Championships at Louisville, KY.  "We will race some of the very best teams in the country,” said Coach Mangus.

Seven runners return from last year’s squad.  The lone senior is Katelyn Frost (Sunbury, OH).  The juniors consist of Captain Jennifer Henman (Springfield, OH), and Kristyn Allen (South Lebanon, OH), Henman holds one and Allen two of the top 25 fastest times. Megan Ball (Londonderry, OH), Candice Eagon (Struthers, OH) Ashley Meadows (Athens, OH) and Raycene Spreng (Loudonville, OH) all return for their sophomore seasons.  Ball appears on the Top 25 lists seven times.  She recorded the fastest time ever for an SSU runner at the AMC/NAIA Region IX Championship.  Eagon and Meadows combine to hold six spots on the Top 25 list. “We are pretty young overall,” said Mangus.  “But, Megan, Candice, and Ashley all had great freshman seasons.  We’ll be looking for them to once again lead the way.” 

New to the squad are five outstanding freshmen runners:  Amanda Faulkner (Kingston, OH), Star Emmert, (Jackson, OH), Trisha Krueger (Versailles, OH), Jennifer Liming (Guysville, OH), and Nekia Woods (Garland, TX).  Faulkner returns to cross country competition after a year off. Emmert, Krueger, Liming, and Woods were the #1 runners on their high school cross country teams. Emmert had a season ending injury at the Cross Country Districts, but recovered by spring to qualify in the 1600 meters at the State track meet.  Krueger was All-Ohio and led the Versailles Cross team to victory at the State Cross Country Meet, finishing tenth overall, and was on the 4X800 team at the State track meet.  Liming qualified and ran at the State Cross Country meet and also ran in the 3200 meters the State track meet. Woods will have to make the adjustment from running 2 miles to the three-mile course.  “This is an exceptionally talented group of freshmen,” said Mangus.  “Hopefully, they will step up to the plate like last year’s group.”  

"This is the strongest women's cross country team that we have ever had at Shawnee State and I expect many records to fall again this year,” said Mangus.  “Our new recruits have great talent and our returning runners had a great year and have been working hard to get ready for the challenges of upcoming season. Our expectations are high. I truly believe we have a shot to get several individuals to the National Meet if not the entire team.  I can’t wait for the season to start!”