Cross Country

DMACC Cross Country Team Opens Season Saturday

August 24, 2010

The DMACC women’s cross country team will open the 2010 season Saturday at the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Time Trials in Council Bluffs.

First-year head coach Jim Dose welcomed seven runners to fall practice, including three sophomores and four highly regarded freshmen.

Dose has used preseason practice to acquaint himself with his runners and their abilities.

“I have a real nice group of young women,” said Dose. “They have great attitudes and are working really hard. I hope we go and run on Saturday, see where we are and just continue to build on the season.”

Sophomore leadership will come from Kari Sylvester (Bondurant-Farrar), Kelsie Jo Van Kooten (Pella Christian) and Nyang Toang, a transfer from Marshalltown Community College.

“Kari Sylvester and Kelsie Jo Van Kooten should be able to complete pretty well. Nyang Toang shows some signs of being able to get in there and be better in the middle of the pack.”

Dose is also impressed with freshman Katie Clark (Gilbert).

“She’s run very strong in our early practices and looks really good,” Dose said.

Other members of the team are Jeavenia Jones (Des Moines), Maria Melendez (Puerto Rico) and Shannon Jefferson (Des Moines Roosevelt). Dose said Jefferson’s practice has been hampered by tendonitis in her knee.

The Bears will face a number of strong teams throughout the season and Dose said he is hopeful of seeing improvement from his runners as the season continues.

“It’s going to be a learning experience and a building process for all of us,” Dose said. “If we can keep the same seven students throughout the season and they keep getting better and we have a few of them place fairly high in a few meets I’m going to think it’s going to be a pretty good season.”

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