ELMHURST, Ill. – The South Dakota State men’s cross country team was picked first and the women were second in the Summit League preseason poll.
The men's team captured 25 points, including the maximum possible five first-place votes. This is the sixth time they are the preseason favorite since joining the Summit League in 2007. Of the five previous seasons as favorites, the Jacks have finished first all but twice (2011 finished third and 2014 finished second).
The women's team gathered 32 points, one shy of first-place South Dakota, and two first-place votes. This is their fourth time being tabbed as either runner-up or favorite. However, they have not won the league title since 2008, when they sat in third place in the preseason poll.
SUCCESS ON REPEAT
The South Dakota State men's cross country team expects to be right back in contention for winning its sixth Summit League Championship since joining the league in 2007, and 36th overall. Repeating success is an expectation as a Jackrabbit, after winning the league titles in back-to-back years on two occasions with a chance to do it again in 2017.
It's possible for the team to repeat because it has the reigning Summit League men's cross country Coach of the Year, head coach Rod DeHaven, and three runners who placed in the top 10 in last year's Summit League Championship. However, it may not be as easy without two-time All-American Joel Reichow, who graduated last year. He finished 20th in the NCAA Championships and earned Summit League Athlete of the Year.
Juniors Kyle Burdick and Ayub Kassim, along with sophomore Chase Cayo look to fill Reichow's and the other five seniors' leadership to maintain the prestige of SDSU cross country. Along with the headliners, the Jackrabbits will have five other sophomores who contributed last season and eight newcomers.
MAN ON THE SPOT
Kyle Burdick, Jr.
Career bests: 25:05.2 8K, 31:06.0 10K
Burdick will be the highlighted runner on the squad this year. The 2017 Summit League Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year will look to improve upon his first-team all-league performance last year. He finished 38th in the NCAA Midwest Regional and sixth in the Summit League Championship.
KEY RUNNERS
Ayub Kassim, Jr.
Career bests: 25:24.2 8K, 30:55.6 10K
The 2016 first-team All-Summit League selection placed 26th at the NCAA Midwest Regional and third in the Summit League Championship.
Chase Cayo, So.
Career bests: 25:19.6 8K, 31:21.9 10K
The 2016 second-team All-Summit League selection placed 52nd at NCAA Midwest Regional and ninth in the Summit League Championship.
Micah Mather, So.
Career bests: 26:40.3 8K, 32:15.7 10K
Named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll. Finished 25th in the Summit League Championship.
Lukas Nelson, So.
Career bests: 26:40.4 8K
Named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll. Placed 32nd in the Summit League Championship.
EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH
The expectations are high for the South Dakota State women's cross country team – high because the Jackrabbits return the Summit League Athlete of the Year, the League's Championship MVP and three first-team all-league picks.
Juniors Emily Donnay and Rachel King picked up their awards last year, but the duo's focus, along with the other three returning juniors and five sophomores who competed last year, is to win the program's first league title since 2008. The team has always been close to accomplishing the feat, finishing in the top three every year since 2012 and only 12 points out of first place last year.
"One of the goals was to have two all-region performers," DeHaven said following last season’s Midwest Regional. "Obviously, we barely missed that, but I think Emily and Rachel took the next step. Not just today, but all year long. Now they realize what it takes and how good they can really be."
Donnay and King had high aspirations last season and they will be looking to earn those awards while running in the NCAA Championships. They can become the first women SDSU runners to compete in the NCAA Division I Championships.
WOMAN ON THE SPOT
Emily Donnay, Jr.
Career bests: 20:48.0 6K
Donnay will be the highlighted runner on the squad this year. The 2016 Summit League Athlete of the Year improved on her 2015 second-team All-Summit League selection in her freshman year when she was named first-team last year. She placed 23rd in the NCAA Midwest race, earning all-region. She won the 2016 Summit League Championship individual title.
KEY RUNNERS
Rachel King, Jr.
Career bests: 20:49.2 6K
The 2016 first-team All-Summit League selection placed second at the Summit League Championship and was 26th at NCAA Midwest Regional, just short of earning all-region.
Emily Berzonsky, Jr.
Career bests: 21:45.8 6K
The 2016 first-team All-Summit League performer placed seventh in the Summit League Championship and 86th at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Halie Mechels, Sr.
Career bests: 22:03.1 6K
The 2016 Academic All-Summit League honoree placed 16th in the Summit League Championship and 112th at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
Jamie Schweiss, So.
Career bests: 22:55.0 6K
Named to the Summit League Academic Honor Roll. Placed 32nd at the Summit League Championship and 185th at the NCAA Midwest Regional.
The Jackrabbits will find out where they rank in the Midwest Region on Monday when the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association will post the NCAA Division I Regional.
South Dakota State opens the season at the NDSU Bison Classic on Friday, Sept. 1 in Fargo, N.D.
The SDSU Classic is Friday, Sept. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Edgebrook.
