Returning this fall with new, dynamic team chemistries, the men’s and women’s cross country teams begin their season at the Belmont-VU Opener Friday afternoon. The race, held at Percy Priest Park in Nashville, will feature a 4K women’s course and a 5K men’s course.
“The great thing about the first race of the year is that it truly is the first race of the year,” said coach Steve Keith, in his fourth season coaching the Commodores. “Our runners will be running shorter distances than normal races, and we’ll have the opportunity to get feedback from them.”
Led by Rita Jorgensen, the women’s team captured a first place team finish in last season’s opener with an average team time of 14:55.29, while the men finished a strong third. Jorgensen paced the Commodores in all races last fall, finishing first amongst the field at both the Belmont-VU Opener and the Commodore Classic.
With a junior-laden women’s squad, look for other juniors, including Krisabel Doebel-Hickok and Adrienne DiRaddo, to step up alongside Jorgensen to lead Vanderbilt this fall. With a strong upperclassmen base, the Commodores are excited for the season opener, as well as the remaining cross country schedule, culminating with the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Championships in November.
“We’ve been building since I got here my freshman year — now the majority of runners are juniors and sophomores, so it seems like this year we are really going to make an impact,” Jorgensen said. “Everyone came back really healthy and strong, so our team is looking pretty dynamic.”
On the men’s side, seniors Thomas Davis and James Kasten alongside sophomore Kyle Rewick, will pace a squad of 10, boasting four new freshman faces.
Davis was the first Commodore finisher in last fall’s Belmont-VU opener, turning in a ninth-place finish in the race with a time of 15:45.68. While Davis is concentrating on finishing his cross country career at Vanderbilt on a high note, he is focused on helping the underclassmen transition fluently to collegiate racing.
“I’m much more focused on the team, but I want my own personal successes to help lead the team in that respect,” Davis said. “Being the only men’s non-scholarship team in the SEC, it’s very challenging, and it feels great each time we are able to go out there and beat other teams.”
Although both squads turned in impressive mileage and training over the summer months, the runners are eager to return to racing against fellow SEC and non-conference competition. In the same respect, the opener will also allow the squads to see how the new runners gel alongside the veterans this season.
“It’s one thing to race in practice, but in a meet it’s good to develop a tolerance level,” Davis said. “Also, it’s a good opportunity to see where our summer training has brought us, and what our new guys are like — I’m especially excited to see the future of the program.”
Both the men’s and women’s squads are hoping that a solid showing early in the season will propel them further ahead when they face challenging SEC competition later this fall. With leadership and impressive team dynamics, both teams aim to gain some respect in the formidable conference.
“Last year, we went out there and knocked on the door of a couple of teams that had never expected us before,” Davis said. “This year, we want to climb our way up in the SEC and beat some teams we aren’t supposed to beat.”
