Women’s Cross Country Picked Sixth in HCAC Preseason Poll

GREENWOOD, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference released its 2010 Cross Country Preseason Poll on Monday. The Lady Jackets received 55 points in the poll, placing sixth in the conference for the second-straight season. [Release]

Last season's conference champions, Manchester College, topped the poll with 98 points, followed by Franklin (92), Hanover (72), Anderson (67), Rose-Hulman (63) and Defiance. Conference newcomers, Earlham College, were picked seventh with 35 points, while Bluffton (25), Transylvania (23), and Mount St. Joseph (20) rounded out the standings.

DC's Kaye Bockbrader, Ellen Stryffeler and Kaitlin Switzer were selected to represent Defiance on the HCAC Runners-to-Watch list. The runners-to-watch list, which made its debut last season, features Bockbrader and Switzer for the second-straight year, while Stryffeler makes her first appearance on the list after a breakout sophomore season. [Release]

Bockbrader made an instant impact as a freshman last season, earning points for Defiance in all but one competition. The Bloomdale, Ohio native was one of DC's top-two finishers in three races in 2009, and was the first Yellow Jacket to cross the line at last season's Friendship Invitational at Cedarville University.

Stryffeler earned points for Defiance in five competitions last season, and showed up big for DC at the HCAC Championships, finishing second among the Lady Jackets and 27th overall. The Lisbon, Ohio native was also an academic all-conference selection last year, and made a major contribution for the track and field team as well, including a school-record breaking performance in the distance medley relay.  

Switzer paced the Yellow Jackets for the bulk of the season in 2010, as she was DC's first finisher in seven-of-eight races. The Defiance High School graduate was honored as an All-HCAC selection in both cross country and track and field last season, and was tabbed as an Outdoor All-Ohio honoree for her performance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

In addition to their trio of HCAC Runners-to-Watch, the Lady Jackets welcome back junior, Kara Suffel, and sophomore, Erika DeBos, as well as freshmen Kate Busto, Samantha Davis, Ericha Griep and Katie Tibbets.

Defiance will begin the 2010 cross country season at home this year, as they host the Defiance College Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, September 11, beginning at 10:00 a.m.