The first of many “lasts” take place this weekend as the Truman Cross Country teams compete in their final Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association championship races. The Bulldogs head to Maryville, Mo. for the MIAA championships this Saturday morning.
A young men’s squad will be competing for their 12th MIAA championship since the event began in 1958. Sophomore Brad Hart and junior Andrew Sheets have been the top two ‘Dogs this season with Hart coming in first for the team in two races and Sheets finishing in front the last time out in Rolla, Mo. at the Jackling Jocks Invitational.
Hart was second on the team and 45th overall at the league championship meet last season while Sheets was fifth on the team and 63rd overall. Patrick Fink, Chad Petrofsky and Alex Volstromer are the other three Bulldogs with experience in the MIAA meet.
Central Missouri won the men’s title last year in Joplin, Mo. with junior Laban Sialo taking home the individual title with a time of 23:17.88. Missouri Southern is the highest ranking MIAA program in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Poll checking in at 11.
Also ranked is Southwest Baptist (Mo.) University at 22, Fort Hays (Kan.) State University at 25, Northwest Missouri State at 29 and University of Nebraska-Kearney at 30.
Truman has won 11 previous MIAA championships with the last coming in 2001. The Bulldogs dominated the early years of the championship with six straight titles from 1959-1964.
Eight different Bulldogs have won 12 individual titles at the MIAA championships. Andy Doering was the last to win the title in 2001 while other winners include Rob Jensen (1992), Linley Lipper (1972), Ron Werling (1965,66,67), Ed Schneider (1962,63,64), Floyd Waddle (1961), James McFadden (1960) and Tony Barulich (1959).
Karen and Cindy Grauel will be competing in their fourth MIAA women’s championship race with Karen looking for her second individual championship. She won as a sophomore in 2010 and has been the top ‘Dog across the finish line in 11 of her last 12 races dating back to that 2010 season. Karen finished fourth last year with a time of 21:24.13.
Cindy earned honorable mention all-MIAA with a 16th place finish a season ago in Joplin. Katie Hirsch was 62nd last year and 72nd in 2010 while Hannah Farnsworth and Abby Palm competed two years ago at the conference championships placing 51st and 73rd respectively.
Pittsburg (Kan.) State University won the team championship last year with senior Angela Adams from Northwest Missouri State University winning the individual title with a time of 21:00.68.
Southwest Baptist is the highest ranked squad in the USTFCCCA Women’s Coaches Poll at 22nd with Missouri Southern at 26th and Pittsburg State at 29th.
The Bulldogs finished third last season and second in 2009 while the last and only team conference championship came in 2000. Grauel is the only Bulldog to take home the individual race championship with her win in 2010. The first MIAA women’s championship was contested in 1981.
Truman will compete in the Great Lakes Valley Conference next season. The GLVC championship meet is also being held this weekend in Springfield, Mo.
Courtesy Truman State University
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO