MSU X-Cty

This year s andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minot-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Minotandamp lt aandamp gt State cross country team will feature two different types of teams The mens team returns plenty of experience with 9 of the team s top 11 runners returning Head coach Stu Melby says that while the Beavers have only one senior on the team it does return plenty of experience and should be improved over last year Stu Melby andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t minot-state-universityandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt MSUandamp lt aandamp gt X-Cty coach Brandon Velazquez our leader from last year is back and then Cory Meza our number two is back in there This year we have Leon andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t medina-ndandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt Medinaandamp lt aandamp gt who redshirted last year but now he s eligible this year and Dillon Hildebrand he was in the same boat as Leon last year actually his was kind of an injury thing so he really didn t get to run cross country So those four and then one new freshman and he ll be up there in the top five and I think we ll be a lot stronger than we were last year Cory Meza sophomore We got a nice strong young base couple seniors looking strong this year to continue our traditions and get things going for the following years Meanwhile the women are in a much different situation Only 4 of the team s 10 runners return with experience but a solid group of freshmen should also improve the team s standing Melby It s a good mix overall and I think we re definitely a long stronger than we were last year We ve had some good things in practice The returners we got Cassie Sailor who was our number one last year went to nationals and then we have our lone senior Amanda Towle and then we have junior Lauren Dietrich and junior Heidi Reddig I think for both teams its real realistic looking at the top three and just got to put it all together and work hard on it Lauren Dietrich junior I think this is probably the strongest team that I ve seen in my three years so I think we ll be an asset and hopefully come conference time we ll be on top The Beavers first action will be this weekend when they travel to andamp lt a href andamp quot http www kxnet com t south-dakotaandamp quot class andamp quot kxInlineLinkandamp quot andamp gt South Dakotaandamp lt aandamp gt for the Hardrocker Invite