Sept. 7, 1999
Missouri to Host First Meet of the Year The University of Missouri men's and women's cross country team will kick off their 1999 season this Friday (Sept. 10) by hosting the Missouri/Evian Natural Spring Water Cross Country Challenge at A.L. Gustin Golf Course. The meet will feature races in three different divisions: high school, college and open.
Action begins at 2:00 p.m. in the high school divisions with the MU women running at 5:00 p.m. with the MU men scheduled to follow at 5:30 p.m. The open race is slated for 6:00 p.m. and is open to all interested runners. This will be the first time the Tigers will be in action this year. They will be going up against Illinois, Lincoln University, the University of Missouri-Rolla and middle distance powerhouse Loyola-Chicago.
Looking to Repeat in 1999
1998 was a very good year! The men's and women's cross country teams had their finest season in Missouri history. Both teams finished third at the Big 12 Championships. The women were automatic qualifiers with their second-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional. In their fourth consecutive appearance at the national championships, the women finished 21st.
The men used a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional to gain an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. Their participation marked the first time since 1977 that the Missouri men's cross country team appeared at the championships. Their 27th-place finish marked the return of MU men's cross country to the national scene.
Head coach Jeff Pigg feels his teams are very deep and filled with experienced veterans that can help Missouri repeat their NCAA appearances. Many of the runners spent the summer in Columbia training and Pigg fells his teams are in the best shape at this point in the season.
Both teams are now healthy and looking for more great things in 1999. Topping last season's teams are within reach for these fine athletes. The depth and leadership are tremendous on this years squads. It is going to be a fun group to watch with the capabilities of doing things that have never been done at Missouri. "It's A Great Time To Be A Tiger!!"
Men's Outlook
Things are very similar on the men's side. Five of Missouri's top-seven are back for more in 1999. TwoTigers earned All-Big 12 honors in 1998 while three others finished in the top-40. Leadership will guide the 1999 squad as they pull from their previous NCAA experience.
Junior Nick Smith was Mr. Consistency for MU last season. He came on strong at the end of his sophomore campaign in 1998 finishing 15th at the Big 12 Championships and 8th at the Region V meet earning All-Region honors. The junior was also the Tigers top finisher at the NCAA Championships.
Smith will not be the lone leader for Missouri in 1999. Senior Joel McCune looks to dominate in 1999 after finishing 16th at the conference meet. McCune is coming off an All-Big 12 performance in the 1500 at the 1999 outdoor track championships. The senior has made great gains throughout his Mizzou career.
Junior Adam MacDowell will be able to provide leadership as well as consistency to the line up. MacDowell was a solid performer in 1998 winning two races as a sophomore. The junior was the Big 12 Runner-of-the-Week following his performances at the Missouri and Sam Bell Invitationals in 1998.
Along with these men, three other Tigers are returning scorers. Seniors Mike Larson and Owen Donahue and sophomore Steve Wade will again be asked to provide leadership as Missouri looks to repeat its NCAA berth in 1999. All six of these men ran in the Tigers top-five at some point during the season and also competed at the Big 12 Championships.
Senior All-American Derrick Peterson redshirted during the 1998 season and is fresh off his bronze medal performance at the 1999 World University Games in July. The two-time national champion ran in the Tigers top-five throughout the 1996 and 1997 season and will be looked upon to help MU during the 1999 campaign.
Rounding out Missouri's team are juniors Greg Speicher, Dan Dellegrazio and Mike Pitts along with sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald and Stewart Kimball. This team is made up of twelve individuals who will all be able to contribute. When a team does not have a superstar, depth is what is needed and that is exactly what the 1999 Tigers have. With depth and experience on their side, these two can combine to create a winning combination.