By
Francisco Merced
Arizona Daily Wildcat
4 out of 5 return from last year's championship team
Returning four of the top five runners from last year's Pacific 10 Conference champions, the UA men's cross country team is seeking to do something they haven't done since the 1986-87 seasons - repeat.
Despite losing its top runner, Micheil Jones, whose eligibility has ended, the Wildcats have a strong core waiting to step up to a high level of competition.
"We lost our No. 1 runner (in) Micheil Jones," Arizona head coach Dave Murray said. "But last year, we finished 10th in the NCAA (championships) without (him)."
Murray, who will be returning to the Wildcats for his 34th season as the head coach, was awarded the 1999 Pac-10 Coach of the Year Award for his efforts.
Helping to ease the void left by Jones will be David Lopez, the lone senior on this year's team. Lopez consistently finished as UA's No. 2 runner last season and is being counted on to step into Jones' role as the team's top competitor.
"I just want to be there for the guys and pretty much show the freshmen what to do," Lopez said. "I expect to represent the school well and run my best every time."
Lopez's credentials alone place him in the top spot on this year's squad.
He placed second behind Jones in each of the first six races last season and was the top placer in the NCAA championships for the Wildcats.
"Last year, I should have made All-American and missed it," Lopez said. "This year, I should get it."
The rest of the returnees include a trio of juniors - Steve Smith, Mike Cramer and Tom Prindiville - each who bring a strong foundation of experience as last year's No. 3, 4 and 5 runners.
The competition in the Pac-10 will be tough again this year, as perennial- favorite Stanford steps into the role as the consensus pick to win the Pac-10 title.
According to Lopez, the Cardinals should be wary of its conference opponents.
"I don't think Stanford is going to walk away with it," Lopez said. "They are going to have some competition from us."
Stanford, whose run of three consecutive championships ended last season, will once again seek to reclaim the title they lost.
The Wildcats won't easily let go of their championship, according to Murray.
"Stanford is, by far, the overwhelming favorite to win this year," he said. "(But) we're not conceding anything at the Pac-10 level."
Cramer agreed.
"We won the Pac-10 last year and it wasn't a fluke," he said. "We beat (Stanford) by a lot."
Additional help to the Wildcats will come from four incoming freshmen - Matt McInvale, Mike Howard, Andrew Carlson and Kevin Engelhardt.
All will be counted on to provide more depth for the defending champs.
With a solid nucleus of upperclassmen, Arizona will have to follow Murray's guidance - taking each race one at a time while building toward the end of season's conference and national championships.
"We got some (new) people that can help us," Murray said. "We'll be as good as last year."
