Yellowjacket Cross-Country Teams Open Season This
Week (Sept. 7, 2003)
BILLINGS, MT – The MSU Billings
men’s and women’s cross-country teams have completed
their time trials and high-altitude training camp in
preparation for the upcoming season. After a hot
summer of workouts followed by a quick fall camp,
the Yellowjackets are looking forward to their
September 13 opener at South Dakota Tech.
Seven women and five men
reported for the Yellowjackets’ fall camp on August
28, where they opened with a three- and five-mile
time trial respectively before leaving for their
four-day high-altitude camp outside of Cooke City.
During that camp, head coach Dave Coppock guided the
Yellowjackets through runs twice a day at elevations
ranging from 7,500 to 10,000 feet.
Chelsea Lynnes (Jr., Miles
City) led the women’s team in their three-mile time
trial with a 19:55. She was followed by Anjel Hoff
(Sr., Billings, MT) at 20:39, Tiffany Piplica (Fr.,
Riverton, WY) at 21:13, Raquel McCarthy (Jr., Butte,
MT) at 21:20, Tracie Overberg (So., Dodson, MT) at
22:05, Mandy Brown (Jr., Wolf Point, MT) at 22:15,
and Kendra Bebee (So., Dillon, MT) at 22:28.
The men’s five-mile time trial
was paced by newcomer Sam Hartpence (So., Custer,
SD) who finished in 29:46. Hartpence, who played
soccer for the Yellowjackets as a freshman, was
followed by Ryan Archibald (Jr., Missoula, MT) at
29:59, Joe Kragt (Fr., Worden, MT) at 30:27, Brendan
Murray (Jr., Billings, MT) at 33:54 and Sean
Hannifin (Fr., Billings, MT) at 34:23.
Both Yellowjacket squads will
face tough tests in the opener at Robbinsdale Park
in Rapid City when they face SD Tech, Black Hills
State, Dickinson State and Northern State. The
Black Hills State men’s and women’s teams are each
ranked No. 3 in NAIA. Last year the Lady Jackets
finished second behind BHSU.
The Jackets will follow with
meets at Montana State-Bozeman (Sept. 20), Dickinson
State (Sept. 27), Colorado (Oct. 4), and Northern
Colorado (Oct. 11). The annual Yellowjacket
Invitational will take place October 25 at
Riverfront Park following the traditional
Yellowjacket Fun Run. The season will wrap up at
the NCAA West Regional in Pomona, CA, on November 8.
Click HERE to view photos of the Cross-Country team
at Fall Camp |