Randolph expects men’s cross country to finish in top three of MAC

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Expectations are high for the Central Michigan men’s cross country team.

CMU is not just looking to improve, they’re setting their sights on a much bigger prize after finishing eighth last season at the Mid-American Conference Championships.

“We expect to be top three or better,” said cross country director Willie Randolph. “We’ve got to do small things to make the men’s team believe they are a top program, not only in the conference, but in the nation as well.”

Last season the men had just one senior and redshirted a few athletes in preparation for this season, so what was a young, inexperienced team last season, is now full of veteran leadership.

Junior Jason Drudge will be leading the team. Drudge was the Chippewas star runner last season, earning first selection All-MAC by finishing seventh overall at the MAC Championships with a time of 24:58.8.

CMU had six runners finish in the top 50 in the MAC and it will be returning all of them.

“We have to keep our heads in it,” Drudge said. “We didn’t perform when the time came last season and we’re hoping to improve on that this season.”

Focus seems to be the key aspect the team needs to improve on its times from last season.

“We need to start out healthy and focused as a team to accomplish the goals we have lined out,” Randolph said. “Every team’s goal is to finish in the top two or three in a year in and year out basis, but we also want to do great things at regionals and nationals.”

The Chippewas are satisfied with the incoming freshmen. Randolph expects the upperclassmen to help their transition.

“The recruiting class looks pretty solid,” Randolph said. “We have a lot of good depth and balance with a solid group of upperclassmen that can lead them.”