Last year, both Andy Bayer and Zach Mayhew were All-American cross country runners and the top two runners for the Hoosiers. After graduating, their success will have to be replaced this year.
Before the season opening tournament, IU Coach Ron Helmer said he felt this year’s team has more depth to work with than last year’s.
“On the guys’ side, we lost two really good athletes,” Helmer said. “But our depth I think is as good as or better than it has ever been.”
The men’s team has only one competing senior, Robby Nierman, and the women have two, Samantha Ginther and Erica Ridderman. The men and women have a combined 11 runners who are coming out of being redshirted the previous year.
Last year’s redshirted runners trained with the team but did not compete in the scoring races.
“It’s exciting when that next group starts to come,” Helmer said. “Those redshirt freshmen, those sophomores who are starting to get fit, starting to develop, and we are starting to see that happen.”
Carl Smith, a freshman from Bloomington, redshirted last year.
He competed in the Indiana Intercollegiate race this year, and was the third Hoosier to cross the line with a time of 25 minutes and 14 seconds, placing fifth overall.
Amanda Behnke, another runner who redshirted last year, finished eighth at the Indiana Intercollegiate with a time of 18 minutes and 26 seconds.
The Hoosiers had two other freshmen who competed in the event.
Freshmen Bethany Neeley and Chanli Mundy both finished in the top 10.
Neely finished in fourth place, running the 5 kilometers in 18 minutes and eight seconds. Mundy finished the 5k in 10th place with a time of 18 minutes and 32 seconds.
“I’m really excited about the number of people we have that are fit and have the potential to grow and to be pretty good,” Helmer said.
The underclassmen Indiana runners are already starting to get in the mix of competition.
With every young team, there are still experienced individuals who help to insure the team stays on the right track.
Junior Nolan Fife said he, along with others, have taken on this year’s leadership role for the men’s team.
“Robby Nierman is a senior. He’s our lone fifth-year guy,” Fife said. “But then we have three other guys, myself along with JR Ricker and Evan Esselink. That gives us four upperclassmen where we are just kind of looking to form a new group of front runners.”
Helmer is looking to Ginther, as well as junior Kelsey Duerksen, to lead the women’s team this season.
Last year, Duerksen qualified as an individual to represent the Hoosiers in the NCAA Championships. Ginther competed in the NCAA Championships two seasons ago.
“We’ve got a couple really good people up front,” Helmer said. “Kelsey Duerksen and Samantha Ginther — they’re older and they’ve had some individual success. Then we were able to go out and recruit some really good freshmen, so I’m excited about that group as well.”
Follow reporter Frank Bonner on Twitter @Frank_Bonner1.
