Oracle Online

Much of the athletes' confidence is due in large part to their belief in their coach, Paul Schmaedeke, who is in his 19th season as head coach of themen’s cross country team.

Confidence in Schmaedeke was obviously well-placed, as the Pipers advanced to their first-ever regional title.

For Schmaedeke, the honors do not stop there. Schmaedeke was named Central Region Coach of the Year by the USTFCCCA.

“He is a great coach,” sophomore runner Jake Richards said. “The unity of the team has been great since I have been running for the university; the quality of the runners has done nothing but increase.”

The Pipers have their sights set on moving up from their seventh place finish at the NCAA championship of last year.

From last year's squad, the men’s team looks to return eight of their nine top men’s runners.

The women’s cross country team deserves recognition in its own right as well. Spurred on by All-Region runners, seniors Melissa Francis and Lacee Schrupp and fighting through the eight inches of snow that fell before and during the meet, the women’s team placed 12th at the NCAA Central Regional on November 11 in Northfield, Minn. The top 35 runners are considered All-Region athletes.

Francis and Schrupp have consistently been leaders in the women’s division. As a team, the women finished ninth at the MIAC Cross Country Championships at Como Park in late October. Schrupp finished with a time of 19:49.0, Francis finished with a time of 21:38.0.

Both Francis and Schrupp, along with the women’s and men’s team will compete in the NCAA Championships at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

The Pipers men’s and women’s team moved up to tenth in the latest USTFCCCA poll.