Aug. 11, 2009 – The Truman men’s cross country team returns their top runners and will be looking to among the conference’s top teams this fall.  The Bulldogs tied for fifth with Emporia State in the MIAA Coaches poll.

Head Coach Tim Schwegler believes that the depth and experience of this year’s squad will be fighting for one of those top spots in the conference at the year’s end.

“We are in a really deep conference,” said Coach Schwegler.  “Any team, on any given weekend can be on top of the MIAA and we feel like with the student-athletes coming back that we are among them.”

Truman returns six letterwinners, including top runner last year, junior Bob Gorman (St. Louis, Mo./Chaminade).  Gorman finished first among Bulldog runners in three of the six meets last season and was sixth overall at the Miner Invitational and 14th at the Border War.

Sophomore Joseph Walls (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) was second in three races and the top Truman runner at the MIAA championships.  Walls was 15th overall to earn honorable mention all-conference honors.

Senior Zach Chapman (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) just missed all-MIAA with a 21st place finish at the conference meet but was second on the team.    Chapman joins junior Adam Kell (St. Peter’s, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) and sophomore Mike Dial (Maryland Heights, Mo./Pattonville) as the five core members of the 2009 team.

The Bulldogs will start on Sept. 5th in Rolla, Mo. and then run in Grinnell, Iowa on Sept. 12th and Rock Island, Ill. on Sept. 25 before taking a week off.

One of the strongest meets of the year will take place on Oct. 10th at the GLVC/MIAA Challenge in Rolla.  Four schools from the MIAA (Southwest Baptist, Missouri Southern , Pittsburg State and Truman) will compete against four schools from the GLVC (Missouri S&T, Drury, Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky) in what is shaping up to be one of the top Division II meets of the year.

Truman will then compete at the conference championships on Oct. 24 in Emporia, Kan. before the NCAA Division II South Central Regional that takes place on Nov. 7th in Abilene, Texas.

MIAA Men’s Cross Country Coaches Poll:

1.       Southwest Baptist (5) – 47 pts

2.       Missouri Southern (3) – 44 pts

3.       Pittsburg State – 37 pts

4.       Central Missouri – 30 pts

T5. Emporia State – 18 pts

T5. Truman – 18 pts

7.    Fort Hays State – 17 pts

8.    Northwest Missouri – 13 pts