The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Cross Country preview: Big 12 Championship
10.30.2009 | XC: Men_Old, Track & Field / Cross Country
Oct. 30, 2009
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Date: Saturday, October 31
Course: A.L. Gustin Golf Course
Distance: 8K
2008 Champion: Oklahoma State (26 points), Texas finished 6th (179 points)
Results: www.big12sports.com
Expected Participants:
Habben Berhane
Leon Dean
Bradley Lowry
Brian Rhodes-Devey
Austin Roth
Brock Simmons
Rory Tunningley
Rob Wetzel
Lorin Wilson
Last Year's Race: Oklahoma State took home the 2008 Big 12 Title with 26 points ahead of second-place Colorado (66 points) and third-place Iowa State (67 points). Texas finished sixth at last year's Big 12 Championship with 179 points.
Previewing the 2009 Big 12 Championship: The Team's Perspective
The Longhorn men's cross country team has come out of the gates strong in 2009. With first-place finishes at the Texas State and Princeton Invitationals and a solid performance in three dual meets at the Hurricane Invitational, the team is gaining confidence as the season progresses.
Although they have enjoyed early success, the Longhorns are looking forward to facing their conference rivals at the Big 12 Championship in Columbia, Mo.
"It's championship season," junior Brian Rhodes-Devey said. "It's the Big 12 Championship. It's going to be the first time we're going to put on the burnt orange singlets, which we only do for championships. It's going to be nerve racking. It's going to be really tough competition. There are a lot of really good teams. There are a lot of very good individuals. We have to not so much be nervous but be excited for that."
Sophomore Rory Tunningley, who is competing in his second conference meet, echoed the excitement.
"It's always a big goal to do well at conference," Tunningley said. "We're going to do our best to finish as high as we possibly can."
"Each of these guys knows where they need to be and what they're individual goals are," Coach John Hayes said. "If they all do what they're supposed to do and give the effort that we need them to give, then everything will be perfect."
This year's version of the team has taken on a slightly different look than in past seasons. Six of the nine Longhorn contestants at the Big 12 meet will be freshmen or sophomores, comprising one of the youngest teams in the field.
"We're a really young team," said Rhodes-Devey, who is one of the team's more experienced runners. "But we've got a lot of heart, and we've got a lot of guys who are really stepping up."
Austin Roth is one of two Texas freshmen taking the course at the conference championships. The first-year runner is looking forward to his chance to represent the Longhorns against the rest of the conference.
"It makes me feel like I've accomplished something that I'm able to go to this level and compete with the team, trying to get to the really big races," the freshman said. "It's kind of a weird experience knowing that I'm going to be racing with the national champion, all these top-ranked schools. We're a great team, and we're trying to get up there. I just feel honored that I'm trying to help make that happen."
What the Longhorns lack for experience, they have made up for with toughness and hard work. Each runner takes a great amount of pride in running for his teammates and The University of Texas.
"There are going to be a lot of guys who have never competed in the Big 12 Championship," Rhodes-Devey said. "There are some that are going to be running their second 8K ever. It's going to be good because we're going to run as a team, we're going to compete for each other and we're going to compete for Texas."