Aug. 31, 2006

Dayton Flyer 5K Challenge Notes in PDF Format
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The 60th season of Miami University men's cross country opens Saturday, Sept. 2 when the RedHawks travel to Dayton for the Flyer 5K Challenge. Miami returns a trio of top-25 conference finishers from last season, including sophomores Pat Sovacool and Brad Untrauer, and is slated for a 10:45 a.m. start at Indian Riffle Park.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Having finished among the top three in the conference for the past 10 seasons, Miami was tabbed second in the Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Despite the loss of All-Americans Dan Huling and Chris Swisher, Miami returns a young distance corps led by sophomore Pat Sovacool, a NCAA regional qualifier in the 1,500 meters during the outdoor track and field season. Miami has not finished outside the top three in the MAC since it placed sixth in 1995, and during the past 10 seasons, Miami has posted two first-place finishes, six runner-up finishes and a pair of third-place showings.

YOUTH MOVMENT: With a 15-man roster that features no seniors, Miami will be a young but talented squad in 2006. The RedHawks boast three top-25 conference finishers, with sophomore Brad Untrauer (19th), junior Michael Veatch (20th) and sophomore Pat Sovacool (21st) leading the youthful RedHawks. Other athletes with the skills to consistently finish in Miami's scoring five include true freshmen Paul Krebs and Adam Martin and redshirt freshman Kevin Silver.

SOMETHING'S MISSING: After placing a pair of runners on last season's All-America team for the first time in 25 years, Miami heads into 2006 seeking to replace Chris Swisher and Dan Huling. The departure of Huling and Swisher, the 13th and 28th American finishers at the 2005 national meet, respectively, leaves a large hole to fill, but if the past is any indication, the RedHawks should be able to bounce back. The last time Miami had a pair of All-Americans was in 1980, and it went on to win the MAC title the next season.

HISTORY IS ON ITS SIDE: Despite its youth, the storied history of the Miami cross country program indicates that the RedHawks will be able to contend for a conference title in the 2006 season. Since the 1980 season, Miami has won six MAC titles and finished in the top three 18-of-25 seasons, including each of the last 10. Miami also has won the most all-time MAC titles of any program in the conference, as its 20 titles are six better than second-place Western Michigan (14).

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: With its second-place finish at the 2005 conference meet, Miami extended its streak of consecutive top-three MAC finishes to 10, as it placed as the runner-up for the second time in as many years. Miami has averaged the best conference finish (second) of any MAC school over the past decade, including back-to-back conference crowns in 1997 and 1998. During head coach Warren Mandrell's tenure, the RedHawks have been the conference champion or runner-up in eight of his 12 seasons. Miami also has had one of the top two individual finishers in the conference in each of the last three seasons. David Mitchell was the MAC runner-up in both 2003 and 2004, while Dan Huling was the 2005 MAC Champion.