Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Jim Moldenhauer The ISU men's cross country team is aiming for a top-10 finish Saturday.

Media Credit: Jim Moldenhauer The Redbird women will look to outperform their No. 14 ranking.

The ISU men's and women's cross country teams have come a long way and put together a fabulous season so far. Compared to last year, the 2007 campaign has featured some huge strides forward in the Redbird's running program.

Although the season has been a huge success, there still lies one last challenge for the Illinois State cross country teams. The 2007 Midwest Regional will take place this Saturday at 11 a.m., hosted by Bradley in Peoria. For Head Coach Jeff Bovee and his runners, the season is far from being over.

"Coming off a great Missouri Valley Championships, we are building up to have a great meet," Bovee said. "This is an important step to go and compete well."

The Midwest Regional will mark both the men and women's last race of the season. That is, unless some unexpected success goes ISU's way. There still lies the chance of a Redbird qualifying for the National Championships and with the improvements and success this season, don't count the 'Birds out just yet.

Bovee explained that qualifying for the National Championships is far from an easy feat. There are only nine regions in the country in which the top two teams from each region will qualify, along with some of the top runners that aren't on the top two teams. Bovee said that it was a complicated process as some runners may not know their fate until the following day. The Redbird men are currently ranked No. 9 in the region, while the women are ranked No. 14.

Bovee noted that the added distance from normal competition in both the men and women's races have required some adjustments, but in the end feels that his runners can finish very high in their respected races. The men's race is bumped up from an 8K to a 10K while the women's race jumps from a 5K to a 6K.

"I think it helps that we are familiar with the course," Bovee said. "I think that the men can finish anywhere from 6th-12th place and the women can finish anywhere from 10th-15th place."

The ISU men had three all-conference runners and the top freshman finisher in the Valley Championships, resulting in their second place team finish. Ranked ninth in the Regional, Bovee said the sky is the limit.

"I think that their confidence couldn't be any higher," Bovee said. "I would be very pleased with a top-10 performance as a team, but I feel they have the potential to place higher. I think the guys are ready to execute and run like they did at the Valley Championships."

Competing with only seven runners, Bovee said that the men will need a team effort.

"I think that Luke (Ryan), Jon (Roberts) and Rob (Barkulis) will have to step up," Bovee added. "I hope that Luke can bridge the gap as he has been. I expect Matt (Mroczynksi) will bounce back and I couldn't be more pleased with a freshman this season."

Bovee said that the sky is the limit for the fantastic four come Saturday, who he feels has the ability to run with the best.

"I think that any one of our top four runners (Scott Krapf, Jordan Anderson, Mike Richardson and Mroczynski) can earn All-Region honors (top 35 finish)," Bovee said. "If any one of the four is running well, they have an outside chance of qualifying for the NCAA Championships."

Although the ISU women dropped to No. 14 in the Midwest Regional ranking, senior captain Suzy Turner and company plan on making a name for themselves Saturday. After a fourth place finish in the Valley Championships, this appears to be the last hurrah for the women. Bovee said that despite battling injury and illness, the women are ready for their last big test.

"I would definitely be pleased with a top-12 finish," Bovee said. "Suzy is looking great in practice. She is coming off her first all-conference finish in her cross country career. I expect Kim Ebessen to bounce back and be an integral part of our success. I expect Jess Husted (Valley's top freshman finisher) and Sarah Glowacki to run well also."

The women's team will be running without a vital part of their success, junior Kathleen Thompson due to bronchitis.

Junior Stacey Turilli will step in for Thompson after battling illness herself.

Turilli, who jumped out to a great start this season, will look to finish the season on a high note.

While qualifying for the NCAA Championships as a team may not be in the cards for Illinois State cross country this season, Bovee explained that the improvements this season are a sign of success for next season and the future.

"If you look at the placing at the conference meet and the rankings for the Regional, it shows how far ISU cross country has come," Bovee said.

"The success and our efforts this season help with the recruiting because teams in the state and in the Midwest want their kids to run for us."

Just recently, three Redbirds were honored with MVC Scholar Athlete awards. Those athletes were Turner, Richardson and Krapf, who represent what ISU cross country is about according to Bovee.

"I think that in order to be a good distance runner, you really need to be disciplined," said Bovee.

"I think that the student-athletes carry their discipline in both arenas: academic and athletic."

After a number of accomplishments this season, winning the MVC and qualifying for the National Championships is not a far goal according to Bovee.

"Aside from losing Suzy Turner, we return most of our core and nucleus next season, along with a lot of youth," Bovee explained.

"We can definitely be in position to compete nationally next season."

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