Who will win the MAC championship?

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Since Central won it last year, I would place them as the favorites this year as well, especially since Eastern lost Boaz.

Central should look strong. They didn't lose as much as Eastern. Eastern will probably be in the hunt due to good coaching by Goodridge. Miami should be very good, but I think they're afraid of Eastern. They had a couple guys at NCAAs in the 5k and may be able to suprise Central and Eastern if either one of them are struggling at the end of the season. Kent had some success on the track, but they seem to be more middle distance oriented and have yet to challenge in cross. Western Michigan is similar to Kent, but maybe not as good. After that, who cares?

1st- Central Michigan

2nd- Eastern Michigan

3rd- Miami

4th- Kent State

5th- Western Michigan

6th- Toledo?

7th-12th no idea???

So much talk about a little DII conference (PSAC) and such little talk about the MAC which put two teams in the top-10 at NCAAS last year? You guys must be out training! Great job!

Two All-Americans Lead Strong Men's Cross Country Team

Men's cross country season outlook.

July 31, 2003

How could Central Michigan University cross country head coach Craig Fuller not be optimistic after the 2002 season?

The Chippewas turned it on at the end of the season and surged their way into a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championship meet. The harriers captured ninth at nationals, turning in the best finish in school history.

"We are very optimistic about this fall," Fuller said. "Every year, this team learns a little bit more about what it takes to compete against the top programs. And now, I think that this team is smart enough that if we time things just right, we will be a very tough team."

The team loses only two seniors from arguably the most successful team ever to don the Maroon and Gold. So, with most of last season's starters returning, and with a seasoned crop of young talent pushing for time, the Chippewas look to field one of the deepest squads they have ever had.

"We return five seniors," Fuller commented. "This is the first time I've ever had that many on a team. And, with six juniors on the squad, this is one of the most-experienced squads I've coached. With that kind of variety in experience, we have the potential to be better than last year. We will be competitive with everyone we run against.

"However, our second seven is very strong as well. Our younger runners are exceptionally strong but may have to wait their turn with the talent we have returning."

Being so deep is an enviable position to be in. While it might be tough to draw out the top five runners on the team, Fuller knows that fielding such a strong team will raise the bar of competition.

"I'm not sure who will be in our top five," noted Fuller. "However, it's not a concern because I know that our runners will have to turn in some excellent performances in order to crack the starting lineup."

Team breakdown

With 11 of the 17 runners racing in five or more races last season, the Chippewas return with a lot collegiate experience under their belts.

Headlining the Maroon and Gold squad are junior All-Americans Tristen Perlberg (Bay City) and Jake Flynn (Benzonia).

Perlberg finished 31st at the NCAA championships with a time of 30:30. He stepped up at the end of last season, capturing eighth at the Pre-NCAA (24:17), fourth at the MAC meet (24:15) and earning first team All-MAC honors, and 12th at the NCAA regional meet (30:52).

Flynn enjoyed similar success in the final five meets. After a first-place showing at Bucknell, he was ninth at the Pre-NCAA (24:18), second at the MAC (24:03), and eighth at regionals (30:48). The Benzonia native captured All-America honors by taking 35th at the NCAA meet (30:35).

Perlberg and Flynn have an incredible supporting cast to rally around as they enter the 2003 campaign.

Seniors Luke Humphrey (Sidney), Rick Bauer (Howell), and Don Wilkins (Trenton) add solid senior leadership and figure in among the top runners on squad.

Humphrey turned in a strong junior season in 2002, just missing All-America honors by mere seconds. Running all but one race last year, Humphrey was consistently one of CMU's top performers. He had four top-10 finishes in eight outings, was 46th at the Pre-NCAA (24:47), earned All-MAC second team laurels with a seventh-place showing at the MAC meet (24:33), and finished 56th at the NCAA meet (30:55).

Bauer ran one race in 2002 but will return for a sixth season after missing most of 2002 with an illness.

Wilkins started last fall as one of the strongest runners on the team. He was fourth (24:46) at the Superstition Open and fourth at Bucknell (25:14). Wilkins ended the season taking 20th at the MAC meet (25:08), 55th at regionals (32:02), and 131st at the NCAAs (31:46).

Senior Jeff Davis (Temperance) saw action in six races last season and was among the top seven runners by season's end. After taking 15th at the MAC meet (24:55), he was 64th at regionals (32:21), and 117th at the championship meet (31:34).

Two redshirts and two newcomers will also be vying for time.

Jeff Powers (Franklin, Ind./Fr.) and Frank Therrian (Holton/Fr.) sat out last season but will return eager for competition and ready to step in and compete.

Joining the team this fall are incoming freshmen Matt Loiselle (Windsor, Ontario) and Justin Hyduk (Canton). Loiselle comes to CMU after competing on the World Canadian Junior Cross Country.

One notable loss from 2002 will be Dave Ernsberger. He will redshirt the 2003 season while studying abroad for the academic year.

The schedule

Highlighting the 2003 schedule is the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C.

The event will feature many of the top programs in the county. Along with CMU, teams that finished in the top 10 last season (Michigan, Northern Arizona, and North Carolina State) are slated to run, and will provide a competitive atmosphere for the Chippewas.

"The Great American Cross Country Festival will be a competitive race," Fuller said. "It will feature a lot of the top teams in the nation ... teams that I think we can run with and even beat."

As usual, the season is geared towards the MAC meet (November 1) at Akron, Ohio, and will end with the NCAA Championships (November 24) in Terre Haute, Indiana.

"Miami will be one of the top teams in the conference this season," points out Fuller. "They have some of the top runners in the conference and could be in the top 25 this fall.

"Of course, Eastern Michigan will also be good team. The Eagles finished third at the NCAA meet and really raised the bar for the rest of the conference."

However, the Chippewas return a strong squad as well and Fuller figures CMU to be one of the top teams in the MAC as well.

"There are a lot of people out there that think we were a fluke last season," Fuller said. "But, I think we return a very competitive team and we should be picked to finish near the top."

dude was talking about the d3 MAC...yeah no one has a chance to beat e-town, however, widener is clearly 2nd best and they also have this sudanese dude who I PROMISE will be regional champ this year. his name escapes me but i am telling you right here and now no one will beat him.

Central has almost everyone back from a 9th place NCAA team last fall. They also won the MAC, but wouldn't have if Boaz had not made a wrong turn and run 800m long, still finishing l5th as 5th man. At this point the Chips should be considered the favorites, but Miami has a good team and Eastern, although not deep, has some good people. MAC defending champion, Gavin Thompson (also l2th in NCAA) returns as do current or former all-MAC runners, Steve Crane, Joel David, and Joey Borg. They picked up a l3:55 transfer from Ark. and have three good red-shirt frosh. Jordan Desilets has track elig. only. He finished 2nd in NCAA SC last spring. The top 12 (all-MAC) should all be from the three schools listed above, but usually a few others sneak in there some place.

Last year the MAC had two teams that were clearly a step ahead of the rest, with EMU having the edge over CMU.

This year I think the top 3 teams should all make NCAAs. I have to give CMU the nod over Miami and EMU (in that order), but the MAC Championship should definitely be a competitive one. CMU is returning 5 of their top 6, the Miami guys had some great track times, and EMU has a very good top 5. I think that CMU has more room for error as they have the deepest team in the MAC.

As far as the individual race goes Gavin (EMU) is my pick to repeat, with Flynn (CMU) and Perlberg (CMU) right on his heals.

-Clay

This is going to be Central's year to repeat. Who was the last team to repeat? I agree that three teams should make it to the NCAA's and do well. The MAC is gaining a lot of respect, just as it has back in the 60's and 70's.

On the women's side, look for Toledo to win their 3rd straight and earn their first bid to the NCAA's.

Go Chips!

Alright

I think this is supposed to be about the MIDDLE ATLANTIC CONFERENCE, not the Mid-American Conference. Please STOP refering to Central Michigan or Toledo. Its Middle Atlatic of D3 not Mid American of D1.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!

WTF? There is only one MAC that matters. Better not abbreviate unless you want to hear about Toledo and Central.

That'd be like asking for predictions for the SEC and complaining that noone knew it was the Spanish Episcopalian Conference.

HA!

Yeah. Fuckers. The only MAC that anyone cares about is the Mid-American Conference. Your pissant conference that the Toledo women would win your men's race is not in the equation.

Back to the real MAC with real runners!

Go Chips!

Uhhh...You wanna put some money on that? He's not gonna beat, Rowe, or MCGuire, or Cannon from the 'fords. Plus Etown's Got a few guys who were tearing up the track this season. Swarthmore's got a guy who just SMOKED the 'ford guys, he only missed a shot at the regional title due to injury....Plus Allegheny has a few sick runners.

I'd guess whichever team hasn't been eliminated by their school president will win.

The post was clearly posted by a DIII guy, why would he give a shit about your conference.

Someone up there has a good point. I wasn't aware there were any teams left in the D1 MAC, didn't they all get cut?

Someone up there has a good point. I wasn't aware there were any teams left in the D1 MAC, didn't they all get cut?

Why wouldn't we think he was talking about the real MAC? Half of you DIII guys sit around jerking off to DI dreams.