Cross Country Keeps Expectations High In 2106

BOULDER—University of Colorado head cross country coach Mark Wetmore has high expectations for the women's team heading into what should be a solid 2016 season.

"The women finished second last year in the national championships, and we have a good group returning this year," said coach Wetmore. "Frankly I think it might be our best team ever, and so we expect to finish very high in the national championships."

The women return eight letter winners from a 2015 season that saw them win the Pac-12 title and finish second at NCAA's. Among those eight returning remembers, four registered as NCAA scorers last season, giving the women a solid returning squad.

As for the men, they are coming off their fifth consecutive Pac-12 Conference win and also placed second at nationals. But the offseason saw four All-American seniors graduate, putting the men's team in a rebuilding mode for the 2016 season.

"The men graduated four seniors," said Wetmore. "Important guys who were All-American distance runners for us, so we have some rebuilding to do. The new people are hungry and are working hard. They've had a good summer and I think the men will out run their early season ranking."

Senior's Ben Saarel and Carrie Verdon were able to talk about their expectations for the season going forward.

"The women's team is really excited since last year was a big year for us," said Verdon. "Coming into the season we haven't really sat down and specifically talked about specific goals, but we are all gearing towards that national meet and we know we have a good team. So placing as high as we can is one of main goals."

"I think on an individual level there are guys who really want to step up and do well this season," said Saarel. "From what I've heard the freshmen are training really hard. A lot guys want to step up for us and be really good, and I'm sure they have individual aspirations but we haven't really talked about the team's expectations."

Wetmore also talked about the top-notch incoming freshmen class for both the men and the women, saying, "We have the best incoming gender-combined class that I can remember. Two national caliber women, and seven men who are all good, going all the way up to really good."

The first official race for Colorado won't be until Sept. 1 when they will compete at the Colorado State Invitational on Sept. 1 in Fort Collins, Colo.

A complete transcript from the press conference is below.

Head Coach Mark Wetmore

On the Expectations for the Season
"The women finished second last year at the national championships, and we have a good group returning this year. Frankly I think it might be our best team ever, and so we expect to finish very high in the national championships. New Mexico won by a large margin last season, and they have a good team returning this season. Stanford, Oregon and Washington have good teams making up a loaded Pac-12 this season. Our women could be one of the three or four best teams in the country and still finish fourth in the conference.

The men graduated four seniors, important guys who were All-American distance runners for us, so we have some rebuilding to do. The new people are hungry and are working hard. They've had a good summer and I think the men will out run their early season ranking."

On the Incoming Freshmen
"We have the best incoming gender-combined class that I can remember. Two national caliber women and seven men who are all good, going all the way up to really good. Six of the seven men have been together for a month up in the mountains Mammoth, Calif. They've been training and bonding during their own self-created preseason training camp. I've never seen freshmen do that before. It's a very good class."

On a Freshmen Making the Men's Varsity
"It is true that it's rare to find an 18-year-old male who can help a national caliber men's cross country team. But, Ben Saarel did and John Dressel did. I don't know if we would absolutely need someone to step up like that this year. But there are two or three in that group that based on credentials will probably get close to the top seven. Then I have to decide if I'm going to use them or not."

On Ben's Goals
"Ben raced late in the track season, as he went all the way to the U.S. Olympic Trials. We redshirted him this track season, but he did some real good running unattached so to speak, and went all the way semifinals [of the trials]. He broke our school record twice, but then he had to take a couple of weeks off, so he's two or three weeks behind everyone. He's getting killed every day and that's probably why he doesn't want to talk about his goals on a national level. But he's been seven or eight on the national level in the past, when he's fully and properly prepared. I'll speak for him and say that he'd like to be better then that."

On the National Championships Being Held in Terre Haute, Ind.
"We like Terre Haute, but I did like how it was in the old days where we traveled around the country. I think Terre Haute is a fair course, while not being a particularly challenging course. No one gets pinched off in certain places, and no one has to step on roots or jump over creeks so it's fair for everybody and less likely for things to go wrong. It might be good for our team. I think our team is a speedier more track like cross country team with good 1,500-meter and steeplechase runners and not so many 10,000-meter warhorses. So, Terre Haute might be better for us then Louisville."

Carrie Verdon, Sr.

On Team Expectations
"The women's team is really excited since last year was a big year for us. Coming into the season we haven't really sat down and specifically talked about specific goals, but we are all gearing towards that national meet and we know we have a good team. So placing as high as we can is one of main goals."

On Personal Goals
"For me, like Ben, I haven't really sat down and thought about it like Ben. Trying to help out my team and be a scorer, while trying to grab an All-American spot this season would be good."

On Taking Inspiration from the Two Buff Women Competing in Rio
"It's really great to watch them on the screen knowing that you've gone on some easy runs with them, or watched them do their workouts. It's really great to be able to have that high-caliber athlete to look at everyday to see what they're doing. You can model yourself after them to be the best athlete you can be, so it's a real special treat that we have."

Ben Saarel, Sr.

On Team Expectations
"We don't really talk about expectations on the men's team. I think on an individual level there are guys who really want to step up and do well this season. From what I've heard, the freshmen are training really hard. A lot guys want to step up for us and be really good, and I'm sure they have individual aspirations but we haven't really talked about the team's expectations. If they take care of themselves, then we can handle the team competitions."

On Being A Senior
"It feels good and I really like it. It's being able to get out there and seeing the younger guys telling them, 'I remember when I was your age and I made all those mistakes.' I'm still making mistakes but hopefully they're a little higher level and I can help people out as well."

On Having a Target On the Team's Back
"I don't really notice the targets on our backs. Maybe they are some other good teams, like Syracuse, that might have a target on their back. In years past, maybe we did, but we don't really focus on that and I haven't really thought about it."

On Personal Goals
"I have no idea, I still need to figure that out. Maybe I'll start thinking about that in a couple of weeks, but right now I'm just trying to get my feet back under me and get training again."

Players Mentioned

John Dressel

Ben Saarel

Carrie Verdon

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