For two years, ACU has been the dominant team in the NCAA Division II South Central region, only to run into a buzzsaw called Western State College at the national cross country meet.
ACU has won back-to-back regional titles, but has finished runner-up to Western State in each of the last two national meets. Western topped ACU by 38 points in 2000 and 36 points in 2001 to win the second and third of three straight national championships.
However, the heart and soul of Western State's team -- the incomparable Michael Aish -- has graduated, and with the Wildcats' top five runners returning, ACU's window of opportunity for its first-ever national cross country title has never been more wide open.
However, despite the return of those athletes -- including 2000 individual national champion Alfred Rugema and two-time all-America John Kemboi -- Murray still sees his team as the underdog to Western State.
"Certainly we have high expectations going into the season," said ACU head coach Jon Murray, who is entering his 12th season at the helm of the cross country program. "We have just about everyone back from the last two national runner-up teams, and we expect to give Western State a stiff challenge for the championship.
"We are the underdogs," he said. "There is no way we can be considered the favorite to win the national championship. We're just little old Abilene Christian, and we hope we can stay close to Western State."
The Wildcats should be able to do more than just stay close with the likes of Rugema, Kemboi, Jean-Marie Ndukimana (eighth at last year's national meet), Bernard Manirakiza (returning all-America), Nick Branen (returning all-America) and Arthemon Sindayigaya all returning to the fold.
However, health will be a major factor for the Wildcats, who last year saw Rugema run in only one meet -- a miraculous seventh-place finish at the national meet -- because of a severe stress fracture in his right leg.
"The key to our whole year is our health," Murray said. "Alfred is obviously the key ingredient, and not having him last year hurt our preparation. He's training hard, and he'll be ready to go. He and John (who have exhausted all of their track and field eligibility) have dedicated themselves to this cross country season."
The Wildcats will once run a very competitive national schedule, which includes meets at Missouri Southern, Oklahoma State and Arkansas before the Lone Star Conference, regional and national meets.
The conference meet will be Oct. 26 in Ada, Okla., followed by the regional meet on Nov. 9 in Warrensburg, Mo., and the national meet on Nov. 23 in Ashland, Ohio.
"Depth-wise, this is as good a team as we've had," Murray said. "Western State will always be tough, and finishing second the last two years will provide us with some ammunition to be properly motivated."
