KENNESAW, Ga. – The Kennesaw State men's and women's cross country and track and field teams have begun practicing in preparation for the upcoming season.

The cross country teams began practice on Friday (Aug.12) under second-year head coach David Poteet.  Both teams will feature many new faces this season. On the women's side, the Owls return senior Kidan Kidane and sophomore Paulette Juieng. Kidane was the Owls top finisher in all six meets last year including a pair of second place finishes at the UNF Invitational and the ASUN Championships.  Her runner-up finish at the conference championship earned her ASUN First Team All-Conference honors. Juieng and Kidane will be joined by 10 newcomers this season including three talented transfers and seven freshmen.

"It's awesome to see so many new faces this year," Poteet said.  "We had a great recruiting year with the women's team as we have a great group of freshmen, some transfers that should help us and two runners that were already at KSU that have joined us.  Paulette Juieng is back, and, of course, Kidan Kidane, who is already showing she has improved even more after a phenomenal year as a junior."    

 On the men's side, the Owls return junior Jordan Hand and sophomore Derrick Kinyanjui. Hand competed in all six meets last season. He finished top-27 three times last season. Hand and Kinyanjui will be joined by junior Paul Schupp and freshman Max Warner and Will Hasse. The cross country teams open their season Saturday (Sept.3) at the Georgia Invitational.

"We are more limited with numbers on the men's, but with returning Jordan Hand and Derick Kinjui, we have a junior transfer who will make a difference for us in Paul Schupp. Our new freshmen, Will Hasse and Max Warner, will get stronger as the season goes along and could make a big difference by conference," Poteet said.
 
The men's and women's track teams begin work on the track today for their 2016-17 season which will begin in February. The women's team returns 26 athletes off last year's that grabbed a pair of runner-up team finishes at the ASUN Championships. They will rely on veterans such as jumper Morgan Campbell, combined eventers De'Von Johnson, and Shakedra Robinson and Jordan Gray, sprinter Maileka Slayton and hurdler Jocselyn Powell.  Those six combined to win 12 gold medals at the ASUN Championships and all but one set a new school record in an event a season ago. They will be joined by a very talented group of 27 newcomers who will be relied upon to help the Owls win their first ASUN Championship title.

The men's team will look to win their ninth and tenth straight ASUN Championships this season. In order to do that they will have to replace the senior class from a year ago, who was the most successful in KSU men's track history.  The team returns only 12 athletes from last year's team.  Combined eventers Dayo Akindele and Josh Mulder (outdoor track only) along with hurdler Terrell Singleton and jumper/ sprinter Sean Blassingame will be replied on to lead the team along with pole vaulters Hunter Arnold and Brenton Rosa and throwers Daniel McKune, Chuck McConville, and Fabeon Tucker.  The 12 returners on this year's squad combined to win 29 total medals at the ASUN Championships including 12 gold medals a season ago. They returners will team with a very strong class of 19 newcomers as they begin to work towards another run at the sixth straight ASUN Indoor Championship and the fourth straight ASUN Outdoor Championship team title.

"This is an exciting time of year," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Andy Eggerth said. "There's so much fresh energy in the air. Our men and women are hungry to learn and get to training.  For some of us we just ended a couple weeks ago so we'll start nice and easy with a gradual progression to prevent burnout from the long year."
 
Keep up with Owls track and field teams by following KSU on Twitter at @KSUOwlNation and @KSUTrackFieldXC or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.