Aug. 21, 2008

OXFORD, Ohio -

Coming off a 2007 season in which the Miami women’s cross country team finished third at the Mid-American Conference Championships and had the conference individual champion, the 2008 RedHawks have been picked to finish third in the conference’s preseason poll by the league’s head coaches.

The RedHawks will take to the trails this fall under the direction of first-year head coach Rita Arndt-Molis. Molis comes to Oxford from Michigan State University where she spent four years coaching the Spartans as both a head and assistant coach in cross country and track and field.

Leading the way for Miami will be junior Laura Neufarth, who was the MAC individual champion a year ago and qualified for the NCAA Championships later in the season. She is entering her second year at Miami after transferring from Ohio State prior to last school year. Miami returns four of its 2007 MAC scorers in Neufarth, Kelsey McHugh, Rebekah Hollander, and Rachel Patterson. McHugh finished 18th at the MAC Championships, while Hollander took 20th. Patterson ended in 52nd place at the 2007 MAC Championships.

The RedHawks open their 2008 season at the Dayton 5K Challenge in Kettering on Aug. 30. They will then travel to Michigan State and Oklahoma State on Sept. 12 and Oct. 4, respectively, before beginning NCAA and MAC competition.

2008 Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Akron
2. Ohio
3. Miami
4. Toledo
5. Ball State
6. Central Michigan
7. Bowling Green
8. Kent State
9. Western Michigan
10. Eastern Michigan
11. Buffalo
12. Northern Illinois
Predicted Women’s Cross Country Champion: Akron