By Andrea Ressler, sports information assistant
Aug. 3, 2007

With a group of talented returning runners and solid recruits entering the program, fourth-year head cross country coach Janey Arnold is confident that the Beavers will be successful this season. The goal-setting will begin when the runners come back to campus and decide as a team what they want to strive for during the 2007 season. With plenty of experience and leadership, both the men's and women's cross country teams look to take a step forward.

The women's squad gains three first-year runners this season. Arnold believes that all three will help the team and she looks forward to them being on the squad and contributing to the program. Freshman Ariana Frangos (Hudson/Twinsburg) had a successful high school career at Twinsburg and the Beavers will be counting on her, along with freshman Kati Skon (Mount Vernon/Mount Vernon), to make their marks right away. Amy Tracy (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic) also joins the Beavers as the third first-year runner on the women's side.

Sarah Humphrey (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) returns for her senior season as the top runner for the Beavers. Humphrey, who has been an integral part of the cross county program for the past three years, will be accompanied by senior Bree Fetterman (North Royalton/Padua), who also brings three years of experience to the team. Sophomores Sarah Binkley (Bluffton/Cory-Rawson) and Brooke Habrun (Magnolia/Sandy Valley) return and will both be key contributors to the team. Binkley improved steadily at the end of the 2006 season and Arnold hopes that the improvement will carry over into the new season.

On the men's team, experience will help push the team forward after a seventh-place finish at the 2006 HCAC Championships. Four seniors, who bring their leadership and penchant for performances under pressure return, for the Beavers. Tyler Fairchild (Toledo/Whitmer), Pete Husted (Carrollton/Carrollton), Mike Koch (Liberty Center/Liberty Center) along with the number one runner from 2006, Hillary Shilosio (Eldoret, Kenya), will be back on the course, while three newcomers get adjusted to the eight-kilometer race that the men compete in at the collegiate level.

Sophomore Ben Siebert ran distance events for the Bluffton track team in the spring and showed great improvement over the course of the season. This will be Siebert's first year as a cross country runner. He will be joined by freshmen Ben Althaus (Delhi, NY/Delhi) and Brian Timpe (Wauseon/Pike-Delta-York).

The Beavers' cross country teams open their season at the Defiance Invitational on September 8. Bluffton will once again host the Beaver Invitational Meet on September 21, and there looks to be a strong contingent of men's and women's squads competing in that event.

-BEAVERS-