COMMERCE – Being one of the few teams that had a relatively normal season during the 2020-21 academic year, the Texas A&M University-Commerce cross country participates in its first race of the 2021 fall season on Saturday. The Lions enter the fall season with a roster full of freshmen and only a handful of returners.
 
"This has been a long time coming," said assistant cross country and track & field coach Trent Phelps. "We are a different team with a lot of new faces, so it is exciting to have all the new faces together. They have not had much time together to bond, practice, and grow. This season is going to be a good step for the program overall."
 
CONFERENCE CHAMPION RETURNING
Headlining for the Lions is sophomore Nicodemus Rotich (Eldoret, Kenya), who is the reigning Lone Star Conference Champion and had the second-fastest time among all runners in NCAA Division II in 2020. He finished as the runner-up in the Division II National Invitational with a time of 31:52.9 in the 10-kilometer race.
 
"Expectations are really high for him, and he puts that on himself. He's a very motivated student-athlete and loves cross country, it's his bread and butter," said Phelps. "After a long outdoor season, we're working on slowly moving him up for a long cross country season."
 
There were no NCAA Cross Country Championships last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so this fall, Rotich has the chance to compete at the national level for the first time.
 
"His goal is to fight for a conference, regional and get to nationals and try to be an All-American. Falling just short in outdoor track & field, I know it is on his mind and something that is really driving him," said Phelps.
 
The 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships are slated to be in St. Leo, Florida on November 20.
 
YOUNG GROUP OF MEN
The Lions debut 10 freshmen or transfers on the roster of 16. Phelps is expecting the young runners to step in right away and score points for the Lions.
 
"We're a growing team, trying to set the standard for a distance program for years to come. A lot of young guys that have really separated themselves as wanting to be scorers, being top-seven, and travelling," said Phelps.
 
Some of the additions for the Lions are Jan Lanfert (Buckenhof, Germany), who according to Phelps is adjusting to the US style of cross country, which is longer distance than the European style, Casey Novelo (Burleson – Trinity), who is expected to be a scorer and is adjusting well, and Alex Speer (Robinson), a star for his high school at the UIL-Texas State meet.
 
Nicholas Deutsch (Frisco) has set the goals being one of the top-seven and had a great summer training on the college pace says Phelps.
 
Among the returning runners, Tanner Townsend (Royse City) is one that Phelps expect to have a big season this fall.
 
"By the end of last year, he was our fourth best runner. He was not satisfied with where he was at. He's taken great strides both mentally and physically preparing for a season where he wants to take the next step and help Nicodemus, becoming a strong top-two, he's really done that," said Phelps. "I am excited to see his hard work translate in races."
 
SUPER-TALENTED WOMEN
There are only two returners on the women's side: Evelyn Brown (Paris) and Yenifer Martinez (Irving – Nimitz). The two are team captains and expected to show the young runners how to do things the Lion way.
 
"Having them back as people who know the system will help the young group adjust to the racing level, said Phelps. 
 
On the women's side, Hannah Keil arrives to Commerce from Korschenbroich, Germany. Like Lanfert on the men's side, she is acclimating to the American style really well.
 
"The international freshmen have been here for just three weeks, excited to see them progress as the season goes on, because it has been a long jump for them," said Phelps.
 
Other notable freshmen coming in this year are Alondra Campa (Kaufman) and Katelyn Matthews (Burleson – Mansfield Legacy).
 
"Alondra is a small-town east Texas runner, who has had great achievements at the high school level. She's been continuing that progress over the summer," said Phelps.
 
"Katelyn is very similar, she had a little higher level of competition in high school, but she's not one who is not satisfied and keeps pushing her limits."
 
A&M-Commerce competes in the Orville Rogers XC Opener hosted by Dallas Baptist on Saturday morning. The only home meet of the season, the East Texas Classic, is next Friday, September 10 in Centennial Park.