By: Thea Rosengarten, sports information assistant
August 13, 2008

Cross country Head Coach Gary Labonte is looking to make his first year at Bluffton University a memorable one. Under new leadership the squad is working to improve as the men finished eighth and the women placed seventh at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in 2007. Labonte is excited to help the teams improve in both talent and depth.

With a new coach and few returning runners, the main focus for the Beavers is going to be on team and individual improvement. Due to the loss of key runners Sarah Humphrey, Bree Fetterman, Tyler Fairchild, Peter Husted, Mike Koch and Hillary Shilosio to graduation, the team will be lacking in both experience and leadership.

Labonte is looking to junior Sarah Binkley (Bluffton/Cory Rawson) and sophomore Brian Timpe (Wauseon/Pike-Delta-York) to lead the way this season.

The Beavers' cross country teams will open their season at the Defiance Invitational on September 13. Bluffton also travels to Cedarville, Earlham and Wilmington before the Heartland Conference Championships on November 1 at Manchester. "I am looking forward to meeting the athletes and getting the season started," concluded Labonte.

-BEAVERS-