TAMPA - If one phrase can sum up the 2009 season for the University of South Florida cross country teams, it is that the youth movement continues for the Bulls, who officially start their campaign Friday night in the University of Tampa Invitational in Brandon, Fla.
A young team in 2008, the Bulls continue that trend in 2009. On the women's side, assistant track and field coach Dena Reif returns a good nucleus of sophomores, all of whom finished in the top 5 at different events throughout the 2008 season. The men's team, meanwhile, consists of one newcomer, four sophomores and just one junior and one senior.
"We need to pick up where we left off last season," said Reif. "We are a young team, and we are still developing. Our goal is to do well throughout the season, leading up to the BIG EAST Championships, and then perform better than last season at the conference meet."
The women's squad returns nearly everyone from a season ago, when only twice in the team's seven meets did a non-freshman finish in the top 5 among USF competitors. The Bulls would go on to finish 10th at the BIG EAST Championships and 14th at the NCAA South Regional.
"We expect to be in the top half of the conference with a good group of sophomores," said Reif. "We expect big things from them this year."
Leading the way will be Yasmin Smith and Nicole Rozario, who each were the top finisher for USF at three meets last season. Smith posted top times at the Mountain Dew, the FSU and the Paul Short Invitationals, while Rozario grabbed the top spot for the Bulls at the last three meets of the year: the Walt Disney Classic, the BIG EAST Championships and the NCAA South Regional.
They won't be the only sophomores looking to pick up USF in the conference. Allie Prendergast returns for her second year of collegiate competition after leading USF to the UCF Black & Gold Challenge title in the first meet of the season last year.
Adding more depth to the lineup are sophomores Devin Spoerle and Jen Wynands, who finished among the top 3 for USF three and five times, respectively. Christine Johnston also finished in the top 5 at several meets, while senior Kelly Savery and sophomore Shaniel Chambers, a 400- and 800-meter specialist on the track team, will also be counted on to compete strong for USF.
"We had a good season last year," said Reif. "Now, with a year of training at the collegiate level under their belts, including a great summer of training, we are excited to be back and ready to go."
The biggest loss for the Bulls is Pernilla Savestrand, who took second at the BIG EAST meet and finished in the top 7 among USF athletes in the other four meets she competed in.
The men's team is also a young squad, although the Bulls return a couple of upperclassmen in senior Ryan Courtoy and junior Pedro Carela. Carela finished in the top 3 for USF in all six meets for the Bulls in 2008. Courtoy will look to get back to his 2007 form, when he was the top USF finisher in three meets, after missing all of 2008 due to illness.
"We are a young team, and we are going to be a young team," said Reif. "But we will be a very competitive team. Everyone is pushing everyone else to do even better than before."
Four sophomores form a good core for the Bulls to build off for the next several years. Phillip Wise led USF at the BIG EAST Championships, and finished in the top 3 for USF at the other four meets he competed in.
Also joining Wise in the sophomore class are Jonathan Bing, Sean Foster and Lucas Simari. Bing competed in every meet in 2008, while Foster and Simari gained valuable experience at both the BIG EAST Championships and the NCAA South Regional.
"They have all had an excellent summer of training," said Reif. "We are looking for them to be right in the thick of things in every event."
The men's team adds one newcomer to the 2009 roster, as rookie Felix Soto will get his feet wet for USF early on. Soto placed 10th in the 5,000 meters at the 2008 Florida state cross country championships, and also was a Region 2 champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in the spring.
"It will be an adjustment for Felix from the 5k, which they ran in high school, to the 8k in college as we get to the conference meet," said Reif. "But he is a good distance runner and will do well. We expect him to improve greatly in his first season."
USF opens the season Friday at the University of Tampa Invitational at the Sydney Dover Trails in Brandon, Fla. The men begin their four-mile run at 6 p.m., while the women start at 6:40 p.m.
