by Justin Morton
Design Editor
The Bryan College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams are on a hot streak right now after winning the Southeastern Classic some two weeks ago. However, bigger challenges await them as they head to North Carolina to compete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference meet hosted by Montreat College, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Junior Colby Smith expressed his confidence in the fact that the team has prepared diligently for the task ahead of them.
“We gotta win this weekend because the winners of the meet get an automatic place in NAIA Nationals. I feel pretty confident because Coach Stoker gives us goals that we have to meet during each race, and as long as we reach those, we’re in a good spot,” Smith said.
Junior Bryson Harper said that the other teams are not just going to lie down and give the Lions the win, but it will be a great weekend and a great effort for them. Harper said that the improvements that the team has experienced are largely because of the freshmen.
“It’s the best class we have had come in since the start of our program not long ago, and they have really stepped up to the level that we expect from everyone on the team,” said Harper.
Harper added that these improvements do not come on their own, but that Coach Rodney Stoker is the reason that they are doing well. Harper said that Stoker knows what he is doing and knows how to take care of the runners.