Toledo Women, Eastern Michigan Men Picked To Repeat

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Eastern Michigan men's and Toledo women's cross country teams were picked to repeat as champions at this year’s 2011 MAC Cross Country championships as voted on by the league's head cross country coaches.

At the 2010 MAC Championships, Terefe Ejigu paced the Eagles after becoming the 18th EMU runner to win the Individual Championship in program history. Ejigu, along with several other athletes who contributed with solid performances last season, will return to compete under the 2010 MAC Coach of the Year John Goodridge this fall. The Eagles have won five of the past six MAC Championships, while Goodridge has coached a total of seven individual MAC Champions.   

"With seven of nine athletes returning from last year's Championship squad including defending individual champion Terefe Ejigu and the addition of several talented athletes who did not compete in last year's meet we feel that defense of the title is a very reasonable goal,” said Goodridge.

Eastern Michigan was followed by Akron in second place, while Kent State, Miami and Buffalo rounded out the top five spots. Central Michigan was picked to finish sixth, while Ohio was tabbed to finish seventh. Toledo and Bowling Green claimed the eighth and ninth spots in this year’s poll, respectively. 

Toledo’s women’s squad had an exceptional season last year as they won the Mid-American Conference title, placed third at the Great Lakes Regional Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships as a team for the first time in program history, placing 28th. This year’s team returns six of its top seven finishers at the MAC Championships and Regional Championships. Topping the list is All-American fifth-year senior Ari Fisher, who has won two straight MAC championships and placed third in the Regional Championship and 26th at the NCAA Championships (20:40.4) last year. Fisher became just the second Rocket All-American in cross country and only the seventh Rocket to be named an All-American in the history of the women's track & field and cross country program.

"We are looking forward to the challenge of defending our MAC Championship on the women's side and challenging for a NCAA Regional Championship as well,” said Toledo Head Coach Kevin Hadsell.

Miami was picked to finish in second place on the women's side, while Central Michigan was tabbed to finish third. Eastern Michigan, Ohio and Akron filled out the top six spots in this year's poll. Western Michigan (seventh), Kent State (eighth), Buffalo (ninth), Bowling Green (10th), Ball State (11th) and Northern Illinois (12th) rounded out the women's poll.

The 2011 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by Ball State, will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011.