CHADRON, Neb. -- August 30, 2023 -- The Chadron State College cross country team will open its season Saturday at the University of Wyoming Invitational Meet in Laramie, starting at 9 a.m.  The competition is expected to be tough, but CSC Coach Luke Karamitros believes the experience will be invaluable. 

The Eagles' rosters have 16 women and 16 men.  There's only one senior on the two rosters.  That is Kyle Shirley of Queen Creek, Ariz., who is rehabbing from an injury and won't run at Wyoming. The men's team also includes four juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen.  The women's team has three juniors, three sophomores and 10 freshmen.

Led by Topi Alahuhta of Conifer High School at Pine, Colo., and Charles Fossey of Rock Springs, Wyo., last fall when both were freshmen, along with Shirley, the CSC men were improved.  They finished 17^th among the 25 teams at the South Central Regional Meet in Denver after placing 22^nd the previous year.

Both were even more impressive during the 2023 track seasons. Alahuhta had the Eagles' third-fastest time in the 5000 meters indoors (14:59.88) before missing most of the outdoor schedule because of an injury.  Also indoors, Fossey set the school's 3000 record (8:24.95) and had the third fastest mile (4:18.56). Outdoors, he ran the Eagles' second fastest 3000 steeplechase (9:45.47).  

In addition, the men's team will be strengthened by the return of junior Cale Schafer of LaSalle, Colo., who was on the injury list last year.

The coach calls junior Nate Mann of Queen Creek, Ariz., the team's "darkhorse," stating that he has "high ceiling and just needs to gain confidence."

Wyatt Bly, who is from the same high school as Alahuhta, is among the promising freshmen who could make an immediate impact, Karamitros said.

The women's team expects benefit greatly now that junior Alissa Wieman of Douglas High School at Box Elder, S.D., is completely healthy and after she posted the best marks of her career in distance races for the CSC track team last spring.

The same is true for junior Tukker Romey of Gering, while sophomores Lydia Peters of Sidney and Josie Diffendaffer of Berthoud, Colo., showed potential as freshmen last season. Karamitros said both "are tough as nails."

The team's freshman leader could be Samantha Rodewald of McCook, who has been keeping pace with the returnees in workouts this fall.  The coach said the large number of freshmen will provide the CSC women's team with needed depth.

The rookies include former Chadron High stalwarts Makinley Fuller and Emma Witt.  The men's roster includes twins Franklin and Greg Johns of Gordon-Rushville. Their cross country experience is limited but they did well in track last spring.  Franklin's time of 1:57 at the state meet was the best ever in the 800 by a northwest Nebraska high school runner.

The Eagles' assistant cross country coach is Chadron native Nicky Applegarth Banzhaf, who owns the Lady Eagles' school records in the 3000 and 5000 meters indoors and the 5000 and 10,000 meters outdoors.