Aug. 31, 2017
AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn cross country team will open the 2017 season Saturday at the Golden Eagle Invite in Cookeville, Tenn.
“The biggest thing that I am looking for is for them to compete at a high level,” assistant track and field and cross country coach David Barnett said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean any certain time, it is more of an effort. The men are in a good place right now. Obviously, being a little bit older, they are a little bit fitter coming off the summer. The women that we are racing are underclassmen, but they are excited about putting on the Auburn uniform for the first time and give it their best effort.”
The men’s team is led by seniors Kevin Wyss, Wesley Curles, Coleman Churitch, Mitchell Gomez and Jay Spieler, and will also rely on Homewood, Ala. native Andy Smith, a sophomore that competed at three events last season.
Wyss, a native of Albuquerque, N.M., was one of three Auburn runners to compete at the 2016 NCAA South Regional where he posted a personal-best 31:10.60 in the 10k. He finished as the Tigers’ top scorer in every race last season and won the 5k at the JSU Strut’s Opener with a time of 15:20.0.
Sophomores Cassie Bebout and Presley Weems, a two-time Southern Conference Champion in the 800m at Samford, lead the way for the women’s impressive crop of underclassmen that includes the freshmen trio of Mercy Kiprop, Emily Mills and Louisa McPherson ready to make their Auburn cross country debuts.
“Both teams have a tangible amount of excitement right now,” Barnett said. “They are really looking forward to getting going again. They put in a really great summer of training and they are ready to show what they are capable of.”