Heidelberg Ranked Once Again in Preseason Polls

The Heidelberg College men’s cross country team, led by first year coach Keith Roberts, once again is ranked amongst the nation’s best in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country preseason poll. The Student Princes rank 16th on the list for 2008, moving up three places from last year’s poll.

The Berg and Ohio Northern University are the only Ohio Athletic Conference to make the 35-team list. The Polar Bears break the top-10 with a ninth-place ranking.

Leading the pack for the Berg this season will be senior Scott Lasch (Huron, Ohio / Huron), who was the first Student Prince to cross the finish line at the national championships last year in a time of 25:48. Also returning from the national-qualifying squad is senior Jarrod Saling (Caldwell, Ohio / Caldwell), juniors Jake Lemon (Oak Harbor, Ohio / Oak Harbor) and Devin Butcher (Bowling Green, Ohio / Bowling Green), and sophomore John Distler (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor).

The Heidelberg men’s and women’s cross country teams suit up for their first meet on Saturday, August 30 for the Berg/Dragon Invite held at the Clinton Heights Golf Course in Tiffin, Ohio. Heidelberg co-host’s the event with Tiffin University, while Defiance College will also be on hand to compete.