The Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams find themselves in the final stretch of their respective 2018 seasons and will be looking to gain some steam down the final stretch. Like in many sports, just succeeding in a conference tournament event can define one’s season. Attaining this feat is the ultimate goal for both teams. 

The men’s and women’s teams tell very different stories in terms of roster build. On the men’s side, a roster chalk full of underclassmen tells a promising story for the future. According to Head Coach Colton Slack, it may be the largest team in Buena Vista history. A lineup that bolsters 12 runners includes a whopping seven freshmen that serve as a building block for the future of the program.  

However, the veteran presence is not as prevalent on a team whose most experienced runners are a pair of juniors. The most recent event the team participated in was the Dan Huston Invite in which BVU’s best two times stemmed from underclassmen Cameron Kaltschnee, a sophomore out of Humboldt, and Greg Tsytahl, a freshman from Iowa Falls. 

Unlike the men’s squad, the women are led by a group of veterans that make up the majority of the roster. Tara Harris, a senior out of Emmetsburg, Iowa is the captain of the team. Coach Slack said Tara displays leadership that leads a young group in the right direction. Tara’s times have dropped significantly this year, such as posting a time far better than her previous best at the team’s most recent meet.  

Slack went on to say that, “she’s been working hard to make sure that the girls are focused.”

Slack stated that the goal for both groups this season is to beat out a couple of American Rivers Conference foes in the conference tournament this year. As the season makes its final turn, a handful of injuries that are expected to heal up shortly may provide the team with its final push towards achieving their goal. This weekend both the men and women will be competing in the Trent Smith invite in Mason City, Iowa. The course is exceptionally flat, which plays well to Buena Vista’s strengths. Coach Slack says he expects some good performances this weekend.  

This weekend’s event is the final go around prior to the American Rivers Conference tournament that takes place on Oct. 27 in Lincoln, Nebraska.