Sept. 2, 2010

Call CC Contact Michael Stambaugh for more details -- 386.481.2278 -

By Dan Ryan

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For Bethune-Cookman University, Friday’s trip to the JU Dolphin Invitation is more than the start of the 2010 cross country season.

It’s also the beginning of the Wildcats’ distance program.

Head coach Donald Cooper and assistant coach Garon Jackson have put an extra emphasis of establishing a quality distance effort for both cross country and track.

“The program’s been a sprint and hurdles base program before,” Cooper said. “We’re going to replenish the distance aspect beginning Friday.”

Cooper’s expecting strong efforts from junior transfer Kevin Rono on the men’s side and freshman Ileis Figueroa on the women’s.

“Kevin will be out front,” Cooper said. “Elyse has been developing well since she’s arrived here at B-CU."

 Cooper’s expecting a competitive effort Friday, but is intrigued to see what kind of condition his runners are in.

 “They told me they were diligent in their off-season training. “Friday will be a good show of what we’ve doing since we arrived on campus.”

Visit www.B-CUathletics.com Friday for complete results.