By Katrina Kowitz, Staff Writer
Newman University’s cross country team has a new head coach who said she wants to make the transition easy on her athletes.
Amber McVicar, a Newman alumni who took over when longtime cross country coach Josh Schepis left, said she is optimistic about her team’s season. Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams were ranked 10th out of 12 teams in the MIAA preseason coaches poll.
In the first meet of the season – the JK Gold Classic hosted by Wichita State University at Clapp Golf Course – the men came in sixth overall and the women finished ninth.
McVicar said that this season, she’s making some changes in the athletes’ mileage. She wants them all to be consistent and on the same page.
Freshman Alexa Ornelas and junior Nayelly Rosales are the top runners on the women's side, the coach said. Rosales finished her 5K at the JK Gold Classic meet on Saturday at Clapp Golf Course with a time of 19:21.13, earning her 36th place. Ornelas ran it in 19:28:14, placing 40th.
"Everyone is determined to reach their goals and it is encouraging to see,” McVicar said. “I’m excited to see what these ladies can do.”
The men’s cross country team has no freshmen on it this year, she said. Sophomore Jake Beauchamp and senior Asher Brown have put in the work over the summer and are ready to start running.
At the Saturday meet, Beauchamp finished the 6K in 17th place with a time of 18:37.79. Brown came in 25th.
The teams will both compete next at the Billiken XC Invite in St. Louis on Sept. 21.
PHOTO: Dannicka McGrath, Photographer
