League Championship Meet Brings High Expectations for Scots' Cross Country

by Dan Nolan

Monmouth, IL (10/30/2019) — Monmouth College cross country coach Jon Welty has high expectations for his men's and women's teams heading into Saturday's Midwest Conference Championships at Oak Run near Dahinda.

"We've had a great week of training and everyone is freshened up for the weekend," reported Welty. "It's our first time we've run on that course, but we did get a look at it on our way home from Bradley a few weeks ago. It's a relatively flat course with a few rolling hills, but it looks like a very fair and fast course, very similar to the Illinois College course we ran on a few years ago."

Welty's women are striving to improve on their runner-up finish from a year ago and return four runners with all-conference credentials. Only the top 20 finishers earn that distinction and Monmouth's top two entering the weekend - Mik Moore and Ezzie Baltierra-Chavez - are seeking their first awards as the Scots' only runners of the team's top six without all-league honors. The duo has turned in the MWC's seventh- and 11th-fastest times this season.

"Our strength has been the ability to push each other and have someone new step up almost every race," praised Welty. "They help each other in different spots in the race."

Caitlyn Allen - the only senior in the group - earned all-league honors in 2015 and 2017, but was sidelined last season with an injury. She's in position again with the 17th-fastest time this season. Three other Scots with All-MWC credentials are Arika Hofmann, Caroline Young and Julia Sterr. Each claimed all-league status a year ago, but rank outside the top 20 entering the weekend in the 21st, 23rd and 24th positions. All are less than 17 seconds out of the top 20.

"I feel really good about the women," said Welty. "They've trained really hard this season and have a chance to be really good. I feel we have five women who could run all-conference times and that would be a good day. We might have a couple others who could challenge if they do what they're capable of and that could give us a conference title."

Monmouth's men finished fourth a season ago and plan on climbing the ladder this season. Riley Dulin is the men's lone returning all-conference runner and is ranked 21st this season, just four seconds outside the status heading into the weekend. Griff Morrill is seeking his first All-MWC award and enters the meet with the fourth-fastest time, just 16 seconds behind the leader. Senior Tanner Heiple enters his final conference race seeded 23rd, needing to pick up just three places to earn his first all-conference award.

"We have a good opportunity to get those three in the top 20," predicted Welty of Dulin, Morrill and Heiple. "Tanner has worked really hard and has put himself in the conversation. Grill has had a very good season and Riley is steadily progressing. We'll need the packs to get closer to one another near the front of the field. We're getting better at that and need to get that second pack a little closer to the first."

Welty is optimistic his teams have the ability to make a good run on Saturday, but his experience tells him nothing is etched in stone.

"You never know what's going to happen on race day," cautioned Welty. "Sometimes it a good surprise, sometimes it's not. We're hoping for a good surprise."