ANGOLA, IND.-- The Trine men's cross country team has high expectations heading into this Saturday's MIAA Championship race at Olivet College.
Following a third-place finish in the MIAA Jamboree at Hope this season, the Thunder are in position for their best overall conference finish in eight years. September's Jamboree result was the best since the 2007 squad's second-place finish and only the third time Trine scored in the top three at the event since entering the MIAA in 2004. With the Jamboree counting towards one-third of the league championship, Saturday's Championship race makes up the remaining two-thirds of the title scoring. Now the Thunder will seek a top-three finish in the Championship race for only the second time in school history, with hopes to match or best 2007's second-place season.
Leading the troops is junior Austin Ganger (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka). Ganger has provided consistency as a top performer for the Thunder each of his three seasons at Trine. He will look to continue a solid season and improve on a team-leading 15th place finish at the Jamboree last month.
A pair of freshmen are poised for big meets after steady improvement all season. Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes) and Nicholas Zak (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central) each turned in strong performances at the UW-Oshkosh AAE Invitational two weeks ago, including a team-best showing from Snyder.
Ricardo Castillo (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) is another underclassman showing continuous progression this season. Castillo, a sophomore, has dropped his 8K time by over five minutes since the start of the fall and exhibited his potential with a break-out performance earlier in the month at the Bethel Invitational.
Other runners expected to contend for points at the MIAA Championship race on Saturday include junior Aaron Mast (Ligonier, Ind./West Noble) and sophomores Cody Verhey (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) and Collin Elek (Osceola, Ind./Penn).
Saturday's men's championship race starts at 11 a.m. on the campus of Olivet College.
For directions and meet information, CLICK HERE.
Article courtesy Luke Fimreite, Trine University, Business Administration, '16
ANGOLA, IND.-- The Trine men's cross country team has high expectations heading into this Saturday's MIAA Championship race at Olivet College.
Following a third-place finish in the MIAA Jamboree at Hope this season, the Thunder are in position for their best overall conference finish in eight years. September's Jamboree result was the best since the 2007 squad's second-place finish and only the third time Trine scored in the top three at the event since entering the MIAA in 2004. With the Jamboree counting towards one-third of the league championship, Saturday's Championship race makes up the remaining two-thirds of the title scoring. Now the Thunder will seek a top-three finish in the Championship race for only the second time in school history, with hopes to match or best 2007's second-place season.
Depth will be the key for the Thunder this weekend. Trine is likely to compete without three top runners, including juniors Adam Schaaf (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) and Garrett Benedict (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central), as well as senior leader Michael Becker (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon). Schaaf's production will be especially difficult to replace, as he earned First-Team All-MIAA honors at the championship event last season.
Leading the troops is junior Austin Ganger (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka). Ganger has provided consistency as a top performer for the Thunder each of his three seasons at Trine. He will look to continue a solid season and improve on a team-leading 15th place finish at the Jamboree last month.
A pair of freshmen are poised for big meets after steady improvement all season. Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes) and Nicholas Zak (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central) each turned in strong performances at the UW-Oshkosh AAE Invitational two weeks ago, including a team-best showing from Snyder.
Ricardo Castillo (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) is another underclassman showing continuous progression this season. Castillo, a sophomore, has dropped his 8K time by over five minutes since the start of the fall and exhibited his potential with a break-out performance earlier in the month at the Bethel Invitational.
Other runners expected to earn points at the MIAA Championship race on Saturday include junior Aaron Mast (Ligonier, Ind./West Noble) and sophomores Cody Verhey (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) and Collin Elek (Osceola, Ind./Penn).
Saturday's men's championship race starts at 11 a.m. on the campus of Olivet College.
For directions and meet information, CLICK HERE.
ANGOLA, IND.-- The Trine men's cross country team has high expectations heading into this Saturday's MIAA Championship race at Olivet College.
Following a third-place finish in the MIAA Jamboree at Hope this season, the Thunder are in position for their best overall conference finish in eight years. September's Jamboree result was the best since the 2007 squad's second-place finish and only the third time Trine scored in the top three at the event since entering the MIAA in 2004. With the Jamboree counting towards one-third of the league championship, Saturday's Championship race makes up the remaining two-thirds of the title scoring. Now the Thunder will seek a top-three finish in the Championship race for only the second time in school history, with hopes to match or best 2007's second-place season.
Depth will be the key for the Thunder this weekend. Trine is likely to compete without three top runners, including juniors Adam Schaaf (Greentown, Ind./Eastern) and Garrett Benedict (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central), as well as senior leader Michael Becker (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon). Schaaf's production will be especially difficult to replace, as he earned First-Team All-MIAA honors at the championship event last season.
Leading the troops is junior Austin Ganger (Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka). Ganger has provided consistency as a top performer for the Thunder each of his three seasons at Trine. He will look to continue a solid season and improve on a team-leading 15th place finish at the Jamboree last month.
A pair of freshmen are poised for big meets after steady improvement all season. Kody Snyder (Burnettsville, Ind./Twin Lakes) and Nicholas Zak (St. John, Ind./Hanover Central) each turned in strong performances at the UW-Oshkosh AAE Invitational two weeks ago, including a team-best showing from Snyder.
Ricardo Castillo (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) is another underclassman showing continuous progression this season. Castillo, a sophomore, has dropped his 8K time by over five minutes since the start of the fall and exhibited his potential with a break-out performance earlier in the month at the Bethel Invitational.
Other runners expected to earn points at the MIAA Championship race on Saturday include junior Aaron Mast (Ligonier, Ind./West Noble) and sophomores Cody Verhey (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) and Collin Elek (Osceola, Ind./Penn).
Saturday's men's championship race starts at 11 a.m. on the campus of Olivet College.
For directions and meet information, CLICK HERE.
