Buffs lining up stout squad for 2019

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Sept. 4, 2019) – Following a 17th-place finish at the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship last season and a preseason national ranking of No. 15 this season, Milligan College's men's cross country team looks to have another strong season in 2019.

Four Buffs who run sub-26, three track & field All-Americans, including one two-time All-American, and one track & field national champion are among Milligan's returning class. The Buffaloes also have a strong incoming class and plenty of experience from their sophomore and junior classes.

On the schedule

Milligan opens at Tusculum University for the second year in a row and will send a select squad to compete at the Zaxby's Open. Action gets under way at 6 p.m. at Holston Home Cross Country Course with the women's race first and the men's race to follow.

The Buffs will then have three more meets on the schedule prior to the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships (Friday, Nov. 8) and NAIA Cross Country National Championships (Friday, Nov. 22).

Buffs running at home in 2019

Among the regular season races, the Buffs host the Dual at Buffalo Creek, a dual meet against Tennessee Wesleyan University Friday, Sept. 13. The Buffaloes will race the Bulldogs along Buffalo Creek and near the M Training Loop and Milligan softball, baseball and soccer fields.

"I know our crew are really excited to compete on campus," Head Coach Chris Layne said. "I'm not sure what happened before I came to Milligan, but in my 20 years, this will be the first-ever cross-country event held at Milligan. Tennessee Wesleyan will bring two really good teams. I think they have a women's team worthy of national recognition, and their men are competitive at the top of the AAC year in and year out."

This year's roster

Alex Mortimer (25:23 in 2018), Nathan Baker (25:29 in 2017) and Mitch Bronstetter (25:44 in 2018) all look to compete in Milligan's top tier this season. Additionally, Seth Nicol (26:06), Ethan Pfister (26:47) and Cory Aulich (27:01) return with national championship experience and should help solidify a strong top seven.

"Baker, Tim Thacker, Mortimer, Bronstetter, Pfister, Aulich and Samir Koko are all guys that have national championship experience in one form or another," Layne said. "We were without Baker and Thacker last cross-country season so having them back is really going to boost our production, especially since the others noted all represented us at cross nationals last season."

In the incoming class, Milligan brings in freshmen Jake Crow (15:57 5k in 2018), Matt Huff (16:22) and Evan Henson (17:08) who should all make an impact and add depth on both the track and the cross-country course. Crow is the younger brother of 2018 All-American and Milligan alumnae Jacquelyn Crow.

"Because of the depth of our returnees, it's going to be tough for our freshmen to have a big impact this year," Layne said. "I do expect Jake (Crow) to crack the top seven, while Matt (Huff) and Evan (Henson) have looked good early. They will get a lot of good reps for us and they can help us down the road."

A little on last year

Milligan finished runner-up in three of six meets last year, including taking the No. 2 spot at the Appalachian Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships. Mortimer led the Buffs in that race with a fifth-place finish while five other Buffs were in the top 25.

Mortimer took 43rd at the national championships, one of four Buffs in the top 160. As a group, Milligan took 17th at the national championships after beginning the season in the receiving-votes category.

Rounding it all up

Layne noted the Buffs, as the preseason polls suggest, should be strong on both sides. The men enter the season at No. 15 in the nation while the women rank No. 17.

"The future looks bright for both the men's and women's squads," he said. "We have just got a ton of momentum. Experience is priceless, and if these young men and young women keep buying in and trust what is going on, they will all see growth and that is the beauty of this sport. Whether you are running number one or number nine, you can look back on a year and find a great deal of accomplishment in seeing your times drop."