PEORIA, Ill. -- First-year Bradley head coach Willy Wood and his men's and women's cross country teams will enter Saturday's Missouri Valley Conference Championships as the favorites announced by the league office recently with both squads returning the bulk of their lineup from last year's strong performances.
The Bradley women are ranked fourth in the latest USTFCCCA Midwest Regional poll and feature six of seven individuals from last year's second-place finisher at the MVC Cross Country Championships. The men's team also has six of the seven individuals who helped power the Braves to a fourth-place finish in 2013 for the team's best conference showing since 1989.
“I am very pleased with our progress thus far,” said Wood. “We have been eagerly anticipating the championship part of the season since August. We have made great gains in our fitness, have matured in our approach and will line up confident and ready on Saturday.”
Southern Illinois swept both the men's and women's titles last year in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Salukis will have familiarity with this year's course with SIU serving as the host for the 2014 MVC Cross Country Championship Saturday in Carbondale, Ill.
Junior Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) and senior Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) were both All-Valley performers in 2013 after finishing sixth and seventh, respectively, at last year's league championship for the Bradley women. The Braves scheduled to run in Saturday's 10:30 a.m. 5K in Carbondale, Ill., have not run a 5K this fall, but Busch owns the sixth-best 6K time in the MVC this year.
Twin sister Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) has also been one of the top runners in the Valley this fall and her career-best 6K time set two weeks ago at Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind., is the seventh-best time in the MVC this year. In addition to the Busch twins and Delvo, senior Rosie Hiles (Hampshire, England/Alton College/University of Birmingham) is expected to help pace the Bradley women. Hiles owns the eighth-fastest 6K time in the MVC this fall.
Like the women's team, the men's squad also features a pair of All-MVC runners from last year. Senior Eric Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) was the men's team's top finisher last year (7th) and is coming off a season-best 8K performance. The men's 8K championship is slated to start at 11:30 a.m.
Joining Delvo on last fall's all-conference team was fellow senior Chase Coffey (Hanna City, Ill./Farmington). Coffey was 10th last year as the pair helped the Bradley men finish just two points out of a tie for third. Sophomore Caleb Beck (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa), who was honorable mention All-MVC last year and the 2013 Valley Freshman of the Year, has clocked a career-best 8K time this season and will be joined by fellow Caleb Beck (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) to help push Delvo and Coffey for top individuals honors on the squad.
Following Saturday's MVC Championship, Bradley will serve host for the NCAA Midwest Regional Friday, Nov. 14 at Newman Golf Course.
