Cross Country to Open 2015 Season Tuesday at Cowboy Preview

Tuesday, September 1

Stillwater, Okla.

TBA

Tulsa

Oklahoma State Duels

Cross Country to Open 2015 Season Tuesday at Cowboy Preview

8/31/2015 4:49:00 PM | Cross Country

By: Eric Hollier

Season Preview Interview with Head Coach Steve Gulley

TULSA, Okla. – The University of Tulsa men's and women's cross country teams open the 2015 season with the Oklahoma State Cowboy Preview Tuesday morning in Stillwater.

The races are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., and TU will face off against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arkansas.

The Golden Hurricane men's team is ranked No. 4 in the Midwest Region preseason rankings, while the women come in at No. 5 in the region preseason poll, administered by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The men's team returns two scoring runners from 2014, and features three sophomores, six redshirt freshmen and eight newcomers. The women's squad returns five runners with at least two years of collegiate experience, including three scorers from a year ago.

All-American Marc Scott returns as the leading runner for the Golden Hurricane men. The senior from Scotland placed 14^th at the NCAA Championships in 2014, claimed second at the Midwest Regional Championship, and took home medalist honors at the American Conference Championships.

Sophomores Ben Preisner and Adam Roderique participated in the NCAA Championship a year ago. Preisner scored team points in each of the four meets in which he ran, finishing third for the Hurricane at the NCAA Championships. Junior Simon Greiner and sophomores Dallas Elmore, Elijah Silva and Kirk Smith also return for the Hurricane.

The Hurricane features several redshirt freshman who will receive their first taste of collegiate competition this season: Ellis Coon, Austin Del Rosso, Isaac Dobos, John Esswein, Grey Howard and Mark Middleton. TU welcomed in eight newcomers, including junior Luke Traynor, a transfer from Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland. Freshmen include Robert Blankenship from Benton, Ky., August Bont from Webster Groves, Mo., Bryan Corbaz from Morges, Switzerland, Stuart McNutt from Overland Park, Kan., Jay Ort from Manitoba, Canada, Braydon Rennie from Mississauga, Canada, and Robert Tully from Dublin, Ireland.

The Tulsa women's team features a core of runners that have been with the program for two years, including six that competed in at least three meets a year ago. The Golden Hurricane will be led by juniors Clara Langley, Stacie Taylor and Olivia Lopez, and sophomore Nicole Lee – the top returning scorers from 2014. Senior Rachel Baptista is also back, after scoring points in four meets in 2013, and junior Olivia O'Hare and sophomore Danielle Medearis each ran in three meets in 2014.

Sophomores Emma Galbraith and Alyssa Jones, and redshirt freshman Alyssa Bollinger return for their second seasons with the Hurricane. TU welcomed four freshmen in Avery Culpepper from Fort Worth, Texas, Aundrea Hamric from Henryetta, Okla., Amanda Heard from St. Louis, Mo., and Sabrina Monsees from Kansas City, Mo.

Following Tuesday's race, the Golden Hurricane will take a month off before returning to action Oct. 3 at the Chili Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Ark.

Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane. Follow Tulsa Cross Country on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaTrack.