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The Pittsburg State men’s and women’s cross country teams debuts their fall season with the Alumni Meet.
The men and women’s cross country teams started off their season by hosting the annual Alumni Meet at Countryside Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 27. The women’s 3-mile was held first, at 8:00 a.m, and the men’s 4-mile was held at 8:30 a.m. Christina and Colby Kromminga were the first of the alumni to cross the finish lines for their respective races. Christina Kromminga finished the women’s race with a time of 18 minutes and 52 seconds and Colby finished the men’s race with a time of 22 minutes and 28 seconds. The alumni race is the only home meet of the season. The next one will be held in Joplin at Missouri Southern State University on Saturday, Sept. 17.
Alumni Katren Reinbolt returned for her second time to run at the Alumni Meet.
“It was fun, it was harder than it has been in past years but I haven’t run as much so that’s probably why,” Reinbolt said.
Jentrie Alderson, freshman, took first at the Alumni Meet with a time of 17 minutes and 12 seconds. Coach Ben Barrows said Alderson is the “highlight” of the women’s freshman class. Barrows said that she is “extremely talented” and “has the ability to make a significant impact right away.”
“I think they’re good, I didn’t see who was up front, but I mean they had a good little pack up front so I think they’re really good..,” Reinbolt said. “I think they’re a fairly young team which is hard to be solid when it comes to that.”
The women’s team took third in the fall 2021 MIAA Championships. Barrows said the women’s team “exceeded his expectations.”
“One year ago, the women’s team as a whole was very inexperienced with collegiate competition, especially in cross country due to missing the fall 2020 season,” Barrows said. “I didn’t have very high performance expectations for them in the fall of 2021, but they worked very hard the summer prior and they had a shot to win the MIAA championship when the day arrived.”
Mason Strader, freshman in architectural manufacturing management, is an MIAA honors student. He placed first in the men’s race with a time of 19 minutes and 42 seconds. Alumni Jordan Peters raced in the meet as well.
“I was an 800 guy, I never raced cross country so that’s a haul for me,” Peters said. “I almost quit after the third mile because I didn’t think my legs would take it.”
The men’s team won their first ever MIAA cross country award in the fall. Barrows said winning the next conference meet will be a “tall order” because of the returning team members of other teams.
“It’s getting exponential, I love it,” Peters said. “Getting dangerous…, I mean how the guys are cranking out out there, that’s going to be something.”
Barrows said all the new athletes hold a lot of potential and can make an impact immediately.
“We are extremely excited about what this group of newcomers can achieve over the course of their running career at Pitt State,” Barrows said.
