Marietta cross country looking for best performance yet at OAC Championships
OAC Championships being hosted by Heidelberg College

Oct. 27, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Head Coach Derek Stanley has been preparing his men and women’s cross country team for this weekend since they arrived on campus in late August. On Saturday (Oct. 28), the Pioneers will have their opportunity to show the Ohio Athletic Conference competition how much they have improve when the ten teams get together in Tiffin, Ohio, for the 2006 OAC Cross Country Championships.

The 8K men's championship race will begin at 11:00 a.m., while the women's 6K race will start at noon. The Mount Union men and the Ohio Northern women won the 2005 OAC cross country team championships, respectively.

Marietta’s women, who have placed in the bottom two in each of the last four years since the College reinstated the sport in 2002, are looking to make the biggest jump in the Conference.

Led by a strong trio—sophomore Jessi Larrison (Batavia), freshman Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele) and senior Brea Gardner (Somerset/Sheridan)—the Pioneers should challenge the middle of the pack this year.

“The women have been progressing nicely this season,” said Stanley. “They have done everything that we have asked of them, are we expect that to translate into a fantastic day Saturday.”

The highest that a Pioneer women has finished at the event is 35th place; Stanley expects all three to surpass that mark and for Larrison and McDonald to set their sites on All-Conference honors, which are awarded to the top 14 finishers.

The Pioneer men, who have also had a solid racing season, are expected to move up the OAC standings Saturday. A year ago, Marietta finished eighth.

Junior Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) and junior John Hull (Scott Depot, W.Va./Winfield) should lead the Marietta attack, with the rest of the team not far behind.

“For the men, we have set the goal of everyone improving their finish from last year’s race,” said Stanley. “The competition will be fierce, but if we run to our capabilities, we will surprise a few teams.”