Team returns to Top 25 in nation

The men's cross country team showed promise in the Pre-National meet in South Carolina this weekend, finishing 11th out of 34 teams. In doing so, the team beat several ranked opponents. \nThis week, the Hoosiers moved back into the Top 25 in the nation with a ranking of 23rd. At the Pre-National meet, every member turned in a solid performance for the team.\nThis meet was similar to the last several meets for the Hoosiers this season, where IU has had runners who went to high school in Indiana dominate the top seven. \nSophomore Rob DeWitte from Michigan is threatening to end that trend. \nAt the beginning of the season at the Indiana Open, DeWitte placed 10th overall and at the Notre Dame Invitational finished ninth for the Hoosiers.\n"Rob's done a good job, but he also knows he has a way to go," head coach Robert Chapman said.\nTeammates echoed the coach's sentiments.\n"Rob came in as a freshman and was not one of our better runners," senior Kevin Chandler said. "He worked hard and stuck it out and at the Notre Dame invitational he got to run in the varsity race." \nWhile running well now, DeWitte has been through his ups and downs while running at IU. He was red-shirted freshman year during the cross country and the indoor/outdoor track season. The following season for cross-country DeWitte came down with Mononucleosis in November. Then during indoor track DeWitte got another tough break, achilles tendonitis. \nBut even that did not stop him. After recovering, he went into the outdoor track season and finished the year with a time of 9:29 in the steeplechase. \n"My goal for track this year is to be down around nine minutes in the steeplechase and compete for the Big Ten Championship," DeWitte said.\nLast summer, with plans to make the traveling team in cross country, DeWitte began training at the U.S. Olympic training center 20 minutes from his home. There he worked out with several athletes he ran against in high school and athletes from surrounding universities.\n"It is satisfying to see the improvement that has occurred since I got over my injury," DeWitte said.\nThe work ethic he has put into practice is contagious.\n"Rob has the ability to inspire a lot of the guys on the team," Chapman said. "If he is able to accomplish what we have down for the workout, it gives a lot of the other guy's confidence"