2001 Cross Country

2001 Men's & Women's Cross Country

Clayton State women place 7^th at Regionals, Guffey one spot shy of qualifying for nationals; men place 13^th

Atlanta, GA---November 3, 2001-- Clayton College & State University women's cross country runner Joni Guffey ran the second-fastest 6K in school history but came one spot shy of qualifying for the NCAA Nationals, placing sixth in the NCAA South Region Cross Country meet at Panthersville Saturday.

Senior Guffey (Frankfort, KY) led the women's squad to a seventh place finish in the 17-team event, running a time 22:33.48, less two-tenths of a second from her own school record time.

The women's squad finished with 180 points and only three points behind sixth place finisher the State University of West Georgia. Harding University won the event with 83 points, followed by Florida Southern, 94 points; the University of Tampa, 112 points; the University of North Florida, 113 points; and the University of Alabama Huntsville, 119 points.

Behind Guffey, freshman Kim Daniel (Macon, GA) placed 14^th in the event with a time of 23:25.02, the fourth fastest time in school history. Both Guffey and Daniel were named to the All-Region squad by placing in the top 15 in the race.

"Joni (Guffey) and Kim (Daniel) become our fourth and fifth runners to be named All-Region," said head coach Mike Mead. "All five of our women runners today had times that rank among the top 20 fastest 6K times in school history."

Junior La'Keshia Hayes (Lithonia, GA) placed 48^th with a time of 24:55.65, followed by sophomore Melody Bogan (College Park, MD) 55th, with a time of 25:29.43. Freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) finished 60^th with a time of 25:41.04.

Freshman Nicole Wise (Jonesboro, GA) placed 99^th with a time of 28:39.66, followed by senior Julia Radmann (Wolfsburg, Germany) 113th with a time of 31:39.56.

Two-time Division II national champion Marjo Venalainen, Kennesaw State, won the event with a time of 21:12.29.

MEN'S RACE

The Clayton State men's squad didn't finish quite as high as the women, placing 13th in the 20-team event.

Freshman Adil Berkhedle (Scarborough, Ontario) had the top performance on the men's side, placing 17^th and coming less than six seconds from breaking the school 10K record with a time of 34:00.99.

"Adil (Berkhedle) really came on at the end of the season after a preseason injury slowed him down early in the year," said Mead. "Tony (Juarez) was in the top 15 today before hurting his hamstring."

Behind Berkhedle, junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) placed 28^th with a time of 34:39.58, followed senior Jake McLeMore (Indian Springs, NV) 67^th with a time of 36:33.08. Freshman Scribner Malloni (Milford, OH) finished 83^rd with a time of 37:29.83, followed by freshman Aaron Hawkins (Riverdale, GA) placed 97th with a time of 38:30.97. Senior Chris Gruwell (Gainesville, GA) finished 124^th with a time of 42:43.06.

Sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL), who had the second-fastest 10K time in school history going into the race, was unable to finish the event after injuring his hamstring in the race. Juarez was in the top 15 before having to drop out of the race.

Harding University won the event with a team low 31 points, followed by Kennesaw State University with 51 points and the University of North Florida with 110 points. Harding's Jacob Rotich won the race with a time of 31:15.97.

##CCSU##

Clayton State women place second at Peach Belt meet; men finish fifth

Morrow, GA---October 20, 2001-- The Clayton College & State University women's cross country team equaled its best-ever Peach Belt Conference finish Saturday, placing second in the conference meet and only 16 points behind overall winner the University of North Florida.

The women's squad finished with 53 points and 13 points in front of perennial cross country powerhouse Kennesaw State, who had won the women's PBC event for the previous seven years. CCSU's women's squad also placed second in 1996 on the same Panthersville Course at Georgia Regional Hospital.

"I am extremely proud of our women's performance," said head coach Mike Mead. "This is one of the few races all season that we've had our full roster of runners, and they all rose to the occasion in one of the most important meets of the season."

Senior Joni Guffey (Frankfort, KY) led the women's squad, running the second best 5K time in team history at 18:36. She holds the top three fastest CCSU 5K times and set the school record of 18:31 on the same course earlier this year.

Behind Guffey, the team had personal best performances from freshman Kim Daniel (Macon, GA) as she placed eighth with a time of 19:57 and junior La'Keshia Hayes as she placed 13^th with a personal best time of 20:23. All three of the Clayton State runners were named to the All-Conference Team after finishing among the top 14 runners. Both Guffey and Hayes are two-time All-Conference performers, while Daniel picked up the Freshman of the Year award by being the top freshman finisher in the 74-runner field.

Behind Hayes on the women's side, freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) had the fourth fastest CCSU finish, placing 17^th in the event with a time of 20:49, followed by sophomore Melody Bogan (College Park, MD) 18th, with a personal best time of 20:54.

Senior Julia Radmann (Wolfsburg, Germany) placed 49^th with a personal best time of 23:55, followed by freshman Latrice Thomas (Atlanta, GA) placing 51^st with a personal best time of 24:08.

Columbus State placed fourth in the 11-team women's field, followed by the University of South Carolina Spartanburg fifth.

MEN'S RACE

The Clayton State men's squad didn't finish quite as high as the women, placing fifth in the nine-team event behind winner Kennesaw State.

The team did have two top performances as freshman Adil Berkhedle (Scarborough, Ontario) broke the CCSU 8K record with a time of 26:10, and sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL) posted the school's third fastest 8K time of 26:25. Berkhedle and Juarez placed eighth and 11^th in the event, and both were named to the All-Conference Team, finishing among the top 12 runners.

Behind Berkhedle and Juarez on the men's side, junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) placed 27^th with a time of 27:55, followed senior Jake McLeMore (Indian Springs, NV) 36^th with a time of 27:55.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins (Riverdale, GA) placed 41^st with a personal best time of 29:08, followed by Stephen Parrish (Jonesboro, GA) 47^th with a personal best time of 30:41 and sophomore Chris Gruwell (Gainesville, GA) 49^th with a time of 31:19.

Behind Kennesaw State in the nine-team men's field, North Florida placed second, followed by USC Spartanburg, Columbus State and Clayton State.

Up next, the Clayton State teams will compete in the NCAA Division II South Regionals November 3, on the same Panthersville Course. The men's 10K race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the women's 6K race at 10 a.m.

##CCSU##

Clayton State men's cross country team wins Bobcat Invitational

Women's Results Men's Results
Milledgeville, GA---October 11, 2001-- The Clayton College & State University men's cross country team swept the top four places en route to a first place finish Thursday in the Bobcat Invitational hosted by Georgia College & State University.

The Lakers finished with a meet low 18 points in front of GCSU with 42 points and Augusta State University with 78 points.

Sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL) won the 8K event, posting a time of 27:11. Freshman Adil Berkhedle (Scarborough, Ontario) placed second with a time of 27:41, followed by junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) third with a time of 28:39 and freshman Scribner Malloni (Milford, OH) fourth at 28:44.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins (Riverdale, GA) placed eighth with a time of 31:13 to round out the scoring for Clayton State. Freshman Steven Parrish (Jonesboro, GA) placed ninth in the race with a time of 32:16 and sophomore Chris Gruwell (Gainesville, GA) placed 10^th with a time of 32:22.

On the women's side, freshman Kim Daniel (Macon, GA) took top honors in the 5K race with a time of 20:16, followed by junior La'Keshia Hayes (Lithonia, GA) placing second at 20:53. Freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) finished fourth with a time of 21:45, while freshman Latrice Thomas (Atlanta, GA) finished 11^th at 25:14. Senior Julia Radmann (Wolfsburg, Germany) placed 12^th with a time of 26:04 and freshman Nicole Wise (Jonesboro, GA) finished 13^th at 28:55. Wise finished approximately five minutes slower than usual, battling asthma during the race.

The women's squad finished a point behind Georgia College & State University in the dual meet, despite the Lakers not having two of its top runners as senior Joni Guffey (Frankfort, KY) and sophomore Melody Bogan (College Park, MD) rested for the conference meet next week. Jake McLemore (Indian Springs, NV), on the men's side, also took a week off in preparation for the conference event.

Clayton State will host the Peach Belt Conference Championships on Saturday, October 20 at Panthersville. The men's race will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the women's race at 10 a.m.

##CCSU##

Cross country teams place fifth in Georgia Collegiate Championships

Women's Results Men's Results
Atlanta, GA---October 7, 2001-- The Clayton College & State University men's and women's cross country teams each placed fifth Saturday in the Georgia Collegiate Championships at Panthersville.

Senior Joni Guffey led the women's team with a second place individual finish, en route to a new school record time of 18:31. She had tied the school record of 18:47 earlier this season at the Georgia State University Invitational. She also earned her third straight "All-State" award.

"We had another solid team effort, despite not running at full strength, as Kim Daniel our No. 2 runner had to sit out to nurse an ankle sprain," said head coach Mike Mead. "Joni (Guffey) had a record day finishing second overall and finally breaking the school record she tied earlier this season. She also earned her third straight "All-State" award."

The women's team finished fifth overall with 138 points. Emory University won with a meet low 28 points, followed Berry College, 108; Covenant College, 117; and Valdosta State University, 133.

Behind Guffey, freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) had the second fastest time on the squad, running a personal best time of 20:31, which was good for 28^th place. She shaved over a minute off her personal best time

Junior La'Keshia Hayes (Lithonia, GA) placed 45th with a time of 21:21, followed by sophomore Melody Bogan (College Park, MD), 46th, with a time of 21:22.

Freshman Nicole Wise (Jonesboro, GA) placed 75th with a time of 23:00, followed by freshman Latrice Thomas (Atlanta, GA), 91st, with a time of 24:26 and senior Julia Radmann (Wolfsburg, Germany), 99th, with a time of 26:17.

On the men's side, Clayton State finished fifth with 144 points. Life University won the event with 15 points, followed by Emory University with 60 points, Columbus State with 111 points and Berry College with 120 points.

Sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL) led the pack, finishing 13th with a personal best time of 26:26.67. The time was the second-fastest 8K in team history and only six seconds off the school record. He also became the second runner since 1997 to capture All-State honors.

"With the exceptions of (Tony) Juarez and (Jake) McLemore, we were a little flat today and missed (Adil) Berkhedle who attended to family business back in Canada," said Mead. "Tony had another career race while becoming our first "All-State" runner since 1997."

Behind Juarez, senior Jake McLeMore (Indian Springs, NV) posted his second fastest time of the season, placing 32^nd with a time of 27:34. Junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) finished 46^th with a time of 28:10, followed by followed by freshman Scribner Malloni (Milford, OH), 62nd, with a time of 28:52.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins (Riverdale, GA) placed 48^th with a time of 29:37, followed by sophomore Chris Gruwell (Gainesville, GA), 96th, with a time of 30:56 and Steven Parrish (Jonesboro, GA), 98th, with a time of 31:06.

The Clayton State teams will return to action on Thursday, October 11^th at the Bobcat Invitational.

##CCSU##

Clayton State women win USCS
Invitational; men's team places second

Guffey shatters Clayton State 6K record by 40 seconds

Women's Team Results; Women's Individual Results
Men's Team Results; Men's Individual Results
Spartanburg, S.C.---September 29, 2001-- The Clayton College & State University men's and women's cross country teams brought home a team championship, a second place finish, a women's individual title and several personal best performances from the University of South Carolina Spartanburg Invitational Saturday.

The Clayton State women's squad won the event with a team low 39 points, edging Carson-Newman College by three points behind personal best performances from its top six runners.

The team was led by another record-breaking performance from senior Joni Guffey (Frankfort, KY) as she continues to etch her name throughout the Clayton State record book. Guffey won the 6K event, running a time of 22:33.3, breaking the old 6K mark of Denny Rauch of 23:13.8, set at the Southeast Regionals in 1999 on the same USCS course.

Behind Guffey, the team also had a personal best performance from freshman Kim Daniel (Macon, GA) as she placed third with a time of 24:05.3, the sixth fastest 6K time in Clayton State history. Junior La'Keshia Hayes placed 10^th with a personal best time of 25:06.93, one of CCSU's 15 fastest 6K times. Freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) placed 12^th with a personal best time of 25:38.95, followed by sophomore Melody Bogan, 13^th, with a personal best time of 25:40.11.

Freshman Nicole Wise (Jonesboro, GA) finished 21^st with a personal best time of 27:24.57, followed by freshman Latrice Thomas (Atlanta, GA) 37^th, with a time of 30:54.17.

Anderson College placed third in the event with 80 points, followed by USC Spartanburg with 80 and Lander University with 137. The University of South Carolina Aiken finished sixth with 155 points in front of Columbia College with 194 points.

On the men's side, Clayton State finished with 41 points, 11 points behind winner USCS, and was led by its top four runners, all posting times that rank among the CCSU's top 15 in a 10K.

Sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL) led the pack, finishing third with a time of 34:03.94. The personal best performance was less than 10 seconds from breaking the school record.

Behind Juarez, senior Jake McLeMore (Indian Springs, NV) placed sixth with a personal best time of 34:41.84, followed by junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) seventh with a personal best time of 34:47.38. Freshman Adil Berkhedle (Scarborough, Ontario) placed 10^th with a time of 35:00.07, followed by freshman Scribner Malloni (Milford, OH) 15^th with a time of 36:05.54.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins placed 24th with a time of 37:25.73 and sophomore Chris Gruwell placed 30th with a time of 39:54.86.

Behind Clayton State, Morehouse placed third with 58 points, followed by Carson-Newman with 102 points and Anderson College with 137 points.

The Clayton State teams will return to action on Saturday, October 6, competing in the Georgia Collegiate Championships at Panthersville.

##CCSU##

VSU women & KSU men win at
first-ever CCSU Cross Country Invit.

Atlanta, GA --- September 22, 2001 -- The Valdosta State University women's squad and the Kennesaw State University men's squad captured team crowns in the first-ever Clayton College & State University Cross Country Invitational Saturday at Panthersville.

Valdosta State edged Kennesaw State University by two points with a team low 54 points and had five runners in the top 14 to take the team trophy. Kennesaw State finished with 56 points and was led by two-time Division II national champion Marjo Venalainen, who took the women's title with a time of 17:54.85. Clayton State's Joni Guffey finished second in the women's race with a time of 19:10.6.

Clayton State finished third in the meet with 66 points, followed by Georgia College & State University fourth with 147 points and Oglethorpe University fifth with 162 points.

On the men's side, Kennesaw State swept the top four spots in the race to capture first place with a team low 17 points. KSU's Gediminus Banevicius won the 8K event with a time of 25:43.65 in front of teammate Ari Makiranta, who finished with a time of 26:03.76.

Behind KSU, the University of South Carolina Spartanburg placed second with 62 points, followed by host Clayton State with 84 points and Columbus State with 86 points. Valdosta State rounded out the top five with 153 points.

Guffey ties school record in 5K; men
place 6^th women 7^th at GSU Invitational

ATLANTA, GA -- September 15, 2001--Clayton College & State University women's cross country runner Joni Guffey etched her name in another section of the CCSU record book Saturday, tying the school record 5K time of 18:47 en route to a fourth place finish at the Georgia State Invitational.

Guffey, a native of Frankfort, KY, tied the record of Mary Schwerdt, who previously set the mark at the NAIA Nationals in 1996. Joni placed only 42 seconds behind two-time Division II national champion Marjo Venalainen, Kennesaw State.

"Joni had another top finish against an extremely tough field of runners," said head coach Mike Mead. "She continues to rewrite our record book and is on pace to do even more with six meets still remaining."

On the men's side, Clayton State turned in a solid team effort, running its second best 8K team time in school history en route to a sixth place finish. All five of the team's scoring runners ran a 28:10 or better.

"We took advantage of the cool weather and had a nice team effort," said Mead. "We ran our second best team time ever and had only 46 seconds between our No. 1 and No. 5 runner. Tony (Juarez) ran another tactical gem."

Juarez, a sophomore from East Hazel Crest, IL, led the squad at 27:24, a personal best for the second straight week. Senior Jake McLemore, Indian Springs, NV, shaved more than a minute off his time from last week with a 27:31 effort, while Mike O'Donnell, a junior from Chester, GA, had the team's third fastest time at 27:47.

Freshman Adil Berkhedle, Scarborough, Ontario, had the team's fourth best time at 27:54, followed by freshman Scribner Malloni, Milford, OH, knocking over a minute off his time from last week at 28:10.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins, Riverdale, GA, and sophomore Chris Gruwell, Gainesville, GA, both improved times from last week at 29:15 and 31:13, respectively, while Stephen Parrish, Riverdale, finished with a time of 31:45.

Kennesaw State won the non-Division I event with a meet low 34 points, followed by Emory-A with 55 points and the University of Alabama-Huntsville with 126 points. Florida Southern College finished fourth with 153 points in front of Berry College with 170 points and CCSU with 182.

On the women's side, Clayton State finished seventh with 170 points, eight points behind conference rival Kennesaw State. Emory University won with a meet low 58 points, followed by Florida Southern College, 66 points; the University of Alabama-Huntsville, 83 points; the State University of West Georgia, 107 points; and Berry College, 155 points.

Behind Guffey's fourth place finish, Kim Daniel, a freshman from Macon, GA, placed 28^th with a time of 20:47.7 in her first-ever collegiate race. La'Keshia Hayes, a junior from Lithonia, placed 43^rd with a time of 21:06, followed by Stephanie Gilbert, a freshman from Jonesboro, 47^th with a personal best time of 21:41.50.

Melody Bogan, a sophomore from College Park, MD, finished 48^th with a personal best time of 21:41.80, in front of Nicole Wise, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA, with a 62^nd place finish and a personal best time of 23:03. Latrice Thomas, a freshman from Atlanta, GA, placed 73^rd with a time of 24:38.

The Clayton State teams will return to action on Saturday, September 22^nd, hosting the first-ever Clayton State Invitational at Fort Gillem in Forest Park, GA. The meet will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Lakers place 3^rd at UAH Meet;
Guffey places 2^nd in women's meet

See results
Huntsville, AL., September 8, 2001 -- The Clayton College & State University men's cross country team added some hardware to its trophy case and Clayton State senior Joni Guffey came 10 seconds away from defending her individual title Saturday at the UAH/Howard Bentley Cross Country Invitational in Huntsville, AL.

The men's team placed third in the meet with 81 points behind winner and host University of Alabama Hunstsville, which had a low score of 39 points, and West Florida at 63 points. Morehouse and Division I Birmingham Southern rounded out the top five with 105 and 162 points, respectively.

"I am very happy with our team results," said head coach Mike Mead. "This score would have won the meet by ten points last season. It is one of our better team finishes in an 8K as our top five runners all placed in the top 30."

After winning the race last season, Guffey (Frankfort, KY) placed second in this year's event just behind Meggan Hodge, a Division I runner from the Mississippi State University. Guffey finished with a time of 19:28, one second slower than last year and 10 seconds behind the overall winning time of 19:18.

"Joni was step-for-step with her (the winner Hodge) the entire race," said Mead. "The course was a little a bit longer this year due to the runners having to cross a creek that was dry last year. She crossed through the water on the last loop, and it slowed her down a bit."

On the men's side, sophomore Tony Juarez (East Hazel Crest, IL) led the Lakers with a seventh place time of 27:52. Junior Mike O'Donnell (Chester, GA) placed 10^th in the event with a time of 28:00, followed by freshman Adil Berkhedle (Scarborough, Ontario) 14^th with a time 28:13, senior Jake McLemore (Indian Springs, NV) 22^nd with a time of 28:40 and freshman Scribner Malloni (Milford, OH) 28^th with a time of 29:13.

Freshman Aaron Hawkins placed 31^st with a time of 29:27 and sophomore Chris Gruwell placed 62^nd with a time of 32:07.

Behind Guffey's second place finish, junior La'Keshia Hayes (Lithonia, GA) placed 34^th in the race with a time of 21:36, followed by freshman Stephanie Gilbert (Jonesboro, GA) 65^th with a time of 22:53, freshman Nicole Wise (Jonesboro, GA) 79^th with a time of 23:57; and senior Julia Raddman (Wolfsburg, Germany) 99^th with a time of 26:54.

The Lady Lakers finished a respectable ninth place despite being shorthanded with only five runners participating in the event. Mississippi State won the event, followed by Alabama Huntsville and Carson-Newman.

The Clayton State teams will return to action on Saturday, September 15^th in the Georgia State University Invitational in Atlanta.

Guffey, O'Donnell Lead Clayton State
in Season-Opening Berry Invitational

Men's Team Results
Women's Team Results
MT. BERRY, Ga., Sept. 1, 2001 -- The respective Clayton College & State University MVP's of last cross country season picked up where they left off with the opening of the 2001 season on Saturday. Senior Joni Guffey and junior Mike O'Donnell led their respective squads at the Berry College Invitational.

The wet, rainy conditions not only wrecked havoc to the runners, but also to the computerized scoring equipment that went down before the races went off. "The rains were welcomed, but slowed the times and results which I'm still waiting to receive," said Lakers head coach Mike Mead. The team and individual results were incomplete at press time.

What was for certain, West Georgia took the women's team title while Kennesaw State won the men's title. Guffey led Clayton State's small contingent with a third place individual showing over the sloppy 6K course in 25:13. "Joni ran a minute faster on that course last year, but obviously the wet conditions kept times slow," said Mead.

Sidelined by injuries and paperwork, the Lady Lakers finished with just five runners as three runners watched their teammates compete. "The meet director announced us as finishing sixth as a team," said Mead. "We had a solid effort. I was not pleased with our team placing, but I am more optimistic of our future once we get all eight of our folks in a meet."

Veteran La'Keshia Hayes, a junior from Lithonia, had a Top 25 showing by finishing in 20^th place. The remaining placing came from local newcomers. Freshman Stephanie Gilbert of Jonesboro placed 33^rd overall followed by Nicole Wise, a freshman from Jonesboro, and Latrice Thomas, a freshman from College Park.

On the men's side, O'Donnell placed 11^th overall to lead the Lakers to an announced seventh place team finish out of 10 teams. According to meet director Paul Marks, six points separated the teams between fourth and seventh place. "We could move up since they left out Shorter College in both the men's and women's team standings," said Mead. "We'll just have to see once they get around to sending us the official results."

O'Donnell clocked in with a time of 35:36 over the 10K course and was closely followed by Jake McLemore, a senior from Indian Springs, Nev., who finished 13^th in 35:51. "Both Mike and Jake ran faster times this year than last season," said Mead. "But again, I think the wet conditions slowed their times."

Just like their female counterparts, the Lakers' next three spots were filled by freshmen. Scribner Malloni, from Milford, Ohio, came in behind McLemore, followed by Adil Berkhedle of Scarsborough, Ontario and Aaron Hawkins of Riverdale. Finishing in the sixth spot for the Lakers Saturday was sophomore Chris Gruwell from Gainesville, Ga. who improved his finish time by almost eight minutes. Rounding out the scoring for Clayton State were Russell Tolbert of Atlanta and Steven Parrish of Riverdale.

"I was pleased with the positioning by Mike and Jake, but felt our newcomers were a little tentative," said Mead. "Perhaps this was more opening day jitters than anything else. Chris is a different runner than what he was last season and I look for continued progress from him. We didn't do too bad since we were without Tony Juarez (hamstring) who is expected to be ready for our next meet."

Both teams will return to racing next Saturday at the UAH/Bentley Auto Cross Country Invitational in Huntsville, Ala. The women will race the 5K distance at 9:45 a.m. CDT while the men's 8K race follows at 10:15 a.m. CDT.

-CCSU-

Cross Country teams set for opener
See men's preview story; See women's preview story
Morrow, GA-- August 31, 2001-- The Clayton College & State University men's and women's cross country teams will kick off their 2001 seasons Saturday, competing in the Berry Invitational at 9 a.m. at Berry College in Rome.

Last year, the men's team finished fourth and women's squad placed third in the event.

O'Donnell and Juarez top returnees on men's side
The 2001 Clayton College & State University men's cross country team will take off into the 2001 season Saturday with hopes of reeling in a Peach Belt Conference Championship this fall.

The team's first step in reaching that goal will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, as the squad opens the season at the Berry Invitational at Mt. Berry, GA.

"I'm very optimistic with the men's prospects this season with the return of four runners from last season's squad, including three from the Top 5," said head coach Mike Mead. "The addition of four freshmen gives us the necessary depth needed to seriously compete for the Peach Belt Conference." Also, It doesn't hurt that we will be hosting the Peach Belt Championships this season in October at Fort Gillem.

The Lakers have a total of nine runners on the roster, including returnees Mike O'Donnell, a junior from Chester, GA; Tony Juarez, a sophomore from East Hazel Crest, IL; Jake McLemore, a senior from Indian Springs, NV; and Chris Gruwell, a sophomore from Gainesville, GA.

All-Peach Belt Conference performer O'Donnell returns after a break through season in 2000. He recorded a personal best time of 26:57 at the conference meet, which was the third best in school history, leading the squad to a fifth place finish. O'Donnell, the team's MVP, also ran a 10K cross country best of 35:06 at the NCAA Regional meet.

"I look for Mike to have a standout season, barring injuries. He has worked tremendously hard for the past six months and is ready for his best season to date. He's going to challenge all of our cross country records this season."

Also returning is sophomore Juarez who came on strong at the end of last season to set the team freshman record in the 8K and led the Lakers to a 10^th place finish at the NCAA region meet. Juarez posted the fourth fastest time in team history in the 10K event at the region meet.

"Tony is going to come in and pick up where he left off from last season. He's already ahead of where he came in last season. He's a tough competitor and is going to be a frontrunner along with Mike."

A junior college transfer from Antelope Valley College in California, McLemore returns for his second full season at CCSU and looks to improve on his best 8K last season.

"Jake had an up and down season last year. He's perhaps the fastest guy on the team and we've got to train him to maximize his ability. If we keep him healthy, he's going to have a very good season."

The fourth returnee is sophomore Chris Gruwell who was a walk-on last season. "Chris has put in his summer mileage and is going to be a dark horse on this team. He works hard, doesn't quit and is a vastly improved runner from last season. I look for him to be a contributor this year."

A total of five newcomers fill out the squad consisting two out-of-state and two area runners while the fifth newcomer is sophomore returnee Russell Tolbert (Atlanta, GA).

"Russell has a cross country background from his days at Dunwoody High School. He ran track for us last spring and is getting out this fall to get some cross country experience to prepare him for the 800m this spring."

In addition to Tolbert, Adil Berkhedle, a freshman from Scarsborough, Ontario, Canada; Aaron Hawkins, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; Scribner Malloni, a freshman from Milford, OH; and Stephen Parrish, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; will also join the squad this fall.

"Scribner and Aaron put in solid summer training but Adil missed a lot of training in the last month due to a broken hand and Stephen didn't get quite the summer base he needs for the transition," said Mead. "They will survive, but it just means they'll struggle some over the next few weeks. These four freshmen are going to figure heavily into our plan. They compliment our returnees. If these freshmen can reach their potential by October, we will challenge for our best finish in both the conference and region."

Malloni, a 2001 Milford High School graduate, has a 5K cross country best of 16:34, while Hawkins, a 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate, was the No. 4 runner for the Wildcats the past two seasons and has a 5K cross country best of 16:20.

Berkhedle, a 2000 Birchmount Park C.I. graduate, has a personal best cross country 5K of 15:05. Parrish, who along with Hawkins is a 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate, has a 5K cross country best of 16:35.

Two highlights of the upcoming season will be a couple of home meets, the CCSU Invitational on September 22 and the Peach Belt Conference Championships on October 20.

Guffey and Hayes top returnees on women's side
The Clayton College & State University women's cross country team hopes a mixture of youth and experience will be the perfect recipe in 2001.

The women's team will kick-off the season at 9 a.m. on Saturday, September 1, competing in the Berry Invitational. Last season, the Lakers finished third in the season-opening event at Berry College in Mount Berry, GA.

"It's hard to tell at this point just how good we'll be, but our mix of youth and experience should give us a better squad than last season," said head coach Mike Mead. "Everyone has been working hard during the summer and preseason. The newcomers will have to be brought along slowly, and we must keep them healthy in order for us to have a fighting chance when conference and region rolls around."

The youthful squad will have several experienced runners to "lean-on," especially the team's top two returnees senior Joni Guffey, Frankfort, KY, and junior La'Keshia Hayes, Lithonia, GA. Sophomore Melody Bogan, College Park, MD, also returns after sitting out last fall.

Guffey looks to pick up where she left off at the end of last year, competing in the NCAA Division II outdoor track and field championships. She was the team MVP last year in both cross country and track while posting the second fastest 5K time in team history.

"I look for Joni to rewrite the cross country record books this fall. Her best last season was 18:50 and she has already run 18:24 this summer in a 5K road race. Her track success is going to carry over into cross country."

Joni won two individual cross country titles in 2000, winning the 5K race at the University of Alabama Huntsville and the Stormy Petrel Classic at Oglethorpe University.

Like Guffey, Hayes will be vying for her second all-conference award, and in Guffey's absence at last season's Peach Belt meet, she helped the Lady Lakers to a fourth place finish while earning all-conference honors. Hayes ran a personal best 5K last year of 20:35 and is looking to break the 20-minute barrier this fall.

"La'Keshia has worked hard during the off-season and is in better condition than she was to begin the season last year. We're also counting on her leadership to help the newcomers adjust to college running. She gets up for the big events and I look for her to have a bigger year than last season."

Two automobile accidents since December have cut into Bogan's training, but Mead hopes she'll be 100 percent by October. During Bogan's freshman season in 1999, she posted a personal best of 22:08 for 5K.

"Once Melody gets healthy, she is going to be a contributor," said Mead. "She seems to be more determined this fall and despite the setbacks, appears to be much fitter than she was during track this spring."

Led by newcomer Kim Daniel of Macon, the Lakers have five new faces on the 2001 squad. Also joining the team will be Stephanie Gilbert, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; Julia Radmann, a junior from Wolfsburg, Germany; Latrice Thomas, a freshman from Riverdale, GA; and Nicole Wise, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA.

"We'll need to be patient during the first month of the season to allow our new folks to adjust to the weekly grind. They've all worked hard, but we're a little banged up to start the season. Coach (Hugh) Toro and I are optimistic with this bunch and if they begin to believe in themselves, no telling how well we'll do at season's end."

A 2001 Southwest Macon High School graduate, Daniel was the No. 1 distance runner and MVP in high school. She has 5K cross country best of 19:38.

"Kim is one of the top high school runners from Georgia that we've been able to sign since we began the program in 1995," said Mead. "We expect her to come in and immediately contribute this fall. She's a dedicated runner who has run at a high level in both track and cross country. If she can make the transition from high school to college, she's going to be a great Division II runner at Clayton State."

Gilbert, a 2001 Eagles Landing Christian Academy graduate, was a four-year letter winner in track and field, while Radmann, a 1997 graduate of Theodor-Heuss High School, joins the Clayton State program after excelling as a competitive long distance swimmer in high school.

A 2000 graduate from Riverdale High School, Thomas joins the squad after attending the University of Georgia last spring. She was a multi-letterwinner in cross country and track at RHS.

Wise, a 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate, was team captain of the 2000 Lady Wildcat cross country team.

Two highlights of the upcoming season will be a couple of home meets, the CCSU Invitational on September 22 and the Peach Belt Conference Championships on October 20.

##CCSU##

Lady Laker cross country team signs top runners for 2001 season

MORROW, GA---August 13, 2001---The 2001 Clayton College & State University women's cross country teams is gearing up for the fall and has signed several top runners for the upcoming season.

Kim Daniel, a freshman from Macon, GA; Stephanie Gilbert, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; Julia Radmann, a junior from Wolfsburg, Germany; Latrice Thomas, a freshman from Riverdale, GA; and Nicole Wise, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; all will join the Lady Lakers for the 2001 season.

A 2001 Southwest Macon High School graduate, Daniel was a four-year letterwinner in cross country and track and field. She competed in four-straight GHSA cross country finals and was the No. 1 distance runner and MVP at Southwest Macon. In addition, she was named an All-State runner in cross country and track.

Daniel finished sixth at the 2000 state cross country meet in Class AAA. At the 2001 state track meet, she placed third in the 1600m and was region champ in the 1600 and 3200m events.

Her best cross country 5K time is 19:38, and in track, she has personal bests of 11:51 in the 3,200m, 5:06 in the 1600m, 2:32 in the 800m and 1:01 in the 400m.

Daniel is the daughter of Rose and Tommy Lee, Sr., and plans to major in pre-law.

Gilbert, a 2001 Eagles Landing Christian Academy graduate, was four-year letter winner in track and field. She finished second in the 1600m (5:49.6) and fifth in the 3200m (13:36.6) at the 2001 GISA Class AA state meet. Her personal bests are 5:07 in the 1500m, 5:40 in the 1600m and 11:38 in the 3200m. Although, Eagles Landing Christian does not compete in cross country, Stephanie has run a 23:50 for a 5K event.

"Stephanie has great potential in both track and cross country," said Mead. "She is going to give us much needed depth this fall and build a solid base for success next spring in track. She brings a winning attitude to the program that will help her and her teammates."

Gilbert is the daughter of Pam & Steve Gilbert and plans to major in psychology.

Radmann, a 1997 graduate of Theodor-Heuss High School, joins the Clayton State program after excelling as a competitive long distance swimmer in high school.

"Julia gives our program some much-needed depth, " said coach Mead. " Her swimming background, which requires as much discipline as running, will help her make a smooth transition to cross country running. Julia has been a recreational runner the past few years and looks forward to the challenge that cross country provides."

She is the daughter Barbara and Dietrich Radmann and is majoring in marketing. A member of the CCSU Honors Program, Radmann has received the Wall Street Journal Award and has been named to the school's Dean's List.

A 2000 graduate from Riverdale High School, Thomas joins the squad after attending the University of Georgia last spring. Latrice was a multi-letterwinner in cross country and track at Riverdale and received the Most Valuable and Most Dedicated awards in track and field.

"Latrice brings in a solid athletic background to the program," said Coach Mead. "She loves running distance and has gotten stronger since high school through her participation in the Marine Reserves. She has a very good work ethic that will help her make the adjustment from high school to college."

Her best cross country 5K time was 22:45, and in track, she had times of 1:03 in the 400m, 2:30 in the 800m and 6:20 in the 1600m.

Thomas is the daughter of Cynthia Banks and will be in the CCSU Honors program, majoring in nursing.

Wise, a 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate, was team captain of the 2000 Lady Wildcat cross country team. Her best cross country 5K time was 23:17, and in track, she had times of 6:34 in the 1600m and 14:16 in the 3200m.

"Nicole makes a very nice addition to our program," said Mead. "She comes from a great program in Lovejoy that has a winning tradition. I think she can be successful in our program and give us needed depth in both cross country and track."

Nicole is the daughter of Diane and Greg Wise and will be in the CCSU Honors program, majoring in pre-veterinary.

CCSU's cross country season opens Sept. 1, competing in the Berry Invitational at Mt. Berry, GA. Two highlights of the upcoming season will be a couple of home meets, the CCSU Invitational on September 22 and the Peach Belt Conference Championships on October 20.

##CCSU##

Laker cross country team signs
top runners for 2001 season

MORROW, GA---JULY 18, 2001---The 2001 Clayton College & State University men's cross country team is gearing up for the fall and has signed several top runners for the upcoming season.

Adil Berkhedle, a freshman from Scarsborough, Ontario, Canada; Aaron Hawkins, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; Scribner Malloni, a freshman from Milford, OH; and Stephen Parrish, a freshman from Jonesboro, GA; will join the Laker squad in the fall.

Berkhedle, a 2000 Birchmount Park C.I. graduate, led his team to the 1999 Ontario Provincial Championships and is a six-time Scarborough track champion in events ranging from the 800m to 3000m. He has a personal best cross country 5K of 15:05.

"Adil is the best runner we've ever recruited coming out of high school," said head coach Mike Mead. "He has the skills to be a top-notch Division II runner in cross country and track. It will take a little time adjusting to college events, but I look for him to set the tone with our program this fall. His teammates are excited about him joining the program."

In track, he has personal bests of 1:52 in the 800m, 3:53 in the 1500m, 8:35 in the 3000m and 32:40 in the 10,000m.

Adil is the son of Alfia and Mohammed Berkhedle and plans to major in information technology.

A 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate, Hawkins was the No. 4 runner for the Wildcats the past two seasons at state and helped the team to an eighth place finish in the Class AAAAA state cross country meet last fall. He has a 5K cross country best of 16:20, and in track, has run a 4:38 in the 1600m and a 10:08 in the 3200m. Hawkins was only the third, four-year letterman in cross country at Lovejoy.

"Aaron is a great addition to our program," said Mead. "It's been a few years since we had someone from Lovejoy on our squad, and Aaron is one of two who signed with us for the fall. Once he overcomes the adjustment from high school to college, he is capable of being a good Division II runner. He's going to give us solid depth in our top seven this fall."

He is the son of Dana and Joel Hawkins and will be in the CCSU Honors program, majoring in business.

Malloni, a 2001 Milford High School graduate, has a 5K cross country best of 16:34 and has ran a 4:34 in the 1600m and a 9:52 in the 3200.

"Scribner is going to have an immediate impact to our team this fall," said Mead. "He loves running distance and the longer the event, the stronger he runs. He brings in a great work ethic that should rub off on his teammates. He's definitely going to be a top seven runner for us this fall."

He is the son of Suzzane and James Malloni and plans to major in business.

Along with Hawkins, Parrish is also a 2001 Lovejoy High School graduate and helped guide the Wildcats to an eighth place cross country finish at state. He has a 5K cross country best of 16:35, and in track, has run a 49.0 in the 400m and a 4:55 in the 1600m.

"Stephen will give us much needed depth this fall and spring," said Mead "A teammate of Aaron Hawkins at Lovejoy, he'll need to work on endurance training during his transition from high school to college. He's going to battle for a spot among our top seven runners."

He is the son of Carolyn Parrish and will be in the CCSU Honors program, majoring in accounting.