2004 Cross Country Preview
September 03, 2004 | Cross Country
Sept. 3, 2004
A vibrant mix of youthfulness energy and the work ethic of seasoned veterans is what head coach Burke Binning hopes will carry his team throughout the 2004 season. "The women's team had a huge year last year. It was our best year in school history. We lost one runner from the 2003 team but we have our top runner from two years ago, Bridget Tidwell, returning," said Binning. With a fourth place finish in the Big 12 and a fifth place finish in the region, leaving the Red Raiders one spot out of qualifying for nationals, the women's squad looks to continue its success and keep the momentum going. On the men's side, success has been growing in the past years and Binning hopes to keep elevating the level of the men's squad through size and motivation. "We have 18 men this year which is double what we had last year. The depth is better on the men's side than in previous years but we still need quality runners out there. I think we are going to be much better this year. We have a much better recruiting class. With the way our schedule is set-up, we are going to be giving our younger guys some good experience that is necessary for college racing", said Binning. Binning looks to top returners from the 2003 season to guide and encourage the newest additions. "The women, as a whole, know what to expect this year. Their goal is to make it to nationals; not just make it there but to make a statement with their performance and finish in the top 20. They want to make the school proud and help build the program. We have the women to do that," explained Binning. Returning upperclassmen that Binning will be looking to for performance and morale are Bridget Tidwell, Brionne Yosten and Stefanie Calhoun. "Bridget is your complete runner and she lives the life of a runner. That is really how it is supposed to be done. If you want to be great at this level, you have to train and prepare for it. She is a great person to follow." "Brionne is very talented and she works very hard. As long as her fitness level is up she will be one of our top performers. She has the ability to be an All-American runner in everything she does." "Stef Calhoun came out of a small class in high school. She didn't have the times others had. Now she is one of the better runners in the Big 12 and an all-conference steeplechaser. She always pushes to be the best she can. She is the perfect example of where putting in the time and a positive work ethic can get you. She is also a huge help to me in keeping team morale high". On the men's side seniors Rob Kalescky and Adam Lawless will be leading the team through their improvement stages. "Rob and Adam bring the experience and the work ethic. They know what to expect from me and my workouts. The younger guys coming in can take cues from them. Rob and Adam work so hard and they do everything I ask of them. They are able to lead the team and teach what college running is all about and what it will take for us to be able to compete at the Big 12 level." Binning will also be looking to his number one runner from last year, Benson Cheserek, to help Kalescky and Lawless lead an experienced but spirited group of runners. "Benson is our number one guy from last year. He had a great summer of training and looks to be in great condition", said Binning. A significant loss to the men's squad will be the redshirting of Kyle Atwood. "Redshirting Atwood may hurt us a little bit in conference match-ups and at regionals. Kyle has a really good shot at an outdoor title if he can put in the necessary training over the next six months. He's going to really help us out on the track. He's the 1,500-meter runner we have been looking for." Coach Binning has a talented recruiting class of freshmen in Tom Wensrich, Jake Vernon and Marcus Jammer. "Wensrich was ranked fourth in 5A cross country and should be able to step in to perform for us right away," explained Binning. "Jammer was ranked 20th in 5A cross country and when his training gets to a higher level he will be one of our top performers." "Vernon is a West Texas kid who has had flashes of brilliance in the past and it looks like he's got his game on right now," said Binning. With hopes of successful Big 12 finishes and appearances at regionals and nationals, the Texas Tech cross country teams have a blend of youthfulness, energy and experience that will propel them throughout the season, anchored by the work ethic and determination of Coach Burke Binning.
Players Mentioned
