by Steve Holt
Courtesy of the Optimist at Abilene Christian University (9/16/03)

Bernard Manirakiza finished seventh at last year's championship (Tom Borish)

Jon Murray is due for a national title in cross country. Not runner-up like the last two seasons. First. Period.

The Abilene Christian University veteran has coached room-fulls of championship track and field teams, but the ultimate prize has eluded Murray in the fall sport, which officially began Friday with the ACU Classic in Abilene. That negative trend could change this season, as he believes the second-ranked 2003 team will be comparable to the 2002 runner-up Wildcats, which boasted individual champ Alfred Rugema and multi-time all-America selection John Kemboi.

“It all comes down to being healthy and being able to train well,” said Murray. “I think we’re going to be pretty similar, really.”

If Friday’s performance is any indication, the Wildcat frontrunner likely will be Burundi native Bernard Manirakiza, who finished seventh at last year’s national championships with a 10-kilometer time of 31:33.0. He will look to capture the third straight individual title by an ACU runner after Rugema won the past two.

“We have a good chance of winning nationals,” Manirakiza said. “The Western [State] guys lost like six guys, so we have a chance.”

“Bernard’s looking very good; he’s in good shape,” Murray said. “He’s going to be someone to reckon with on the national level.

“I think he’s going to be improved from last year, and he was good last year,” Murray said. “Can he win nationals? Yeah. He’s going to be one of those favorites.”

The sophomore runner can easily be compared to Kemboi, with whom he shares several similarities. Manirakiza won both the 800- and 1,500-meter runs at the 2003 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, a feat that former Wildcat Kemboi did a year earlier. Manirakiza came from behind in both races to win, a talent that Kemboi perfected during his time at ACU.

“That’s a good comparison just because of the success he’s had,” Murray said. “To go in there and do that, pass some adversity and go back out and handle it well. He doesn’t lose. He just does what it takes to win, which is what Kemboi did for years.”

Western State College (Colo.) has claimed the last four Division II titles in cross country and was ranked No. 1 in the nation by Division II coaches entering the season. In 2002, Western State runners claimed four of the top eight spots at nationals, but the team is losing three key runners in 2003. Third-ranked Adams State College (Colo.), which was third at nationals in 2002, also will likely be a challenger this season, as the Grizzlies are returning five of their top seven runners. As it has been in past years, however, the competition drops off considerably after Adams State, making it virtually a three-team race for first at nationals.

“I think we need to work hard,” Manirakiza said. “If anybody from the five is not working good, it won’t be good for the team.”

Murray said the three, four and five spots for ACU could be filled by any one of four runners at any given meet. He said that with the absence of two of the best athletes ever to don ACU purple, lack of depth in the second-through-seventh positions could be the Wildcats’ No. 1 nemesis.

“Nobody can be hurt, because we don’t have anybody to fall back on,” Murray said. “We just have to hit ’em hard with those five.”

Ukrainians headline Wildcat newcomers

The ACU women’s cross country team experienced a scare this fall, before any women even put on a purple singlet. Freshman runner Olha Kryvyak of Lviv, Ukraine, collapsed on Aug. 28 after a run, and after being rushed to the emergency room was diagnosed with a severe case of heat stroke. Kryvyak was just released from the hospital Monday after a scary two-week stay, Murray said.

Kryvyak is expected to make a full recovery and could be one of the Wildcats’ top runners in 2003, Murray said. He added that she may miss much of the regular season, because he doesn’t want her to get back into it too fast.

ACU’s No. 1 runner will likely be Yuliya Stashkiv, who will be competing in cross country for the first time after a stellar track and field season in the spring. Stashkiv won the 3,000-meter run and was runner-up in the 1,500-meter run at nationals in May. At the European Junior National Championships this summer, Stashkiv set a personal and junior national record in the 5,000 meters, finishing in 16:13.04.

“She’s going to be a great frontrunner,” Murray said. “She loves cross country as much or more than track, so it’s going to be great to watch her run.”

The women’s team, ranked No. 24 in the nation in a preseason poll, hasn’t competed at nationals in several years, as it has failed to place first or second at the South Central Region Championships. Sophomore runner Abbie Waters, who likely will be the No. 4 runner for the Wildcats, said the team especially wants to advance to nationals this season after falling just short in 2002.

“Last year was a tough year with injury, but we’re all back and even more excited this year,” Waters said.

NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll

Men’s Top-10

1. Western State, Colo.
2. ACU
3. Adams State, Colo.
4. South Dakota State
5. Cal State-Chico
6. Missouri Southern State
7. Wayne State, Mich.
8. Grand Valley State, Mich.
9. Fort Hays State, Kan.
10. UMass-Lowell

Women’s Top-10

1. Western State, Colo.
2. Adams State, Colo.
3. Grand Valley State, Mich.
4. Cal State-Chico
5. Northern Michigan
6. Kennesaw State, Ga.
7. Southern Indiana
8. Colo.-Colorado Springs
9. North Florida
10. Wayne State, Mich.