Men build around all-region senior trio

Cornell College head coach Dan Schofer enters the 2011 men's cross country season with two notable names missing atop his team's roster - Andrew Tobben and Kirkwood Donavin.

Schofer billed them "two of the all-time greats in the history of the Iowa Conference". Tobben left his mark as a four-time all-region performer, two-time conference champion, two-time national qualifier and 2009 All-American. Donavin was an all-conference and all-region cross country honoree, while claiming six conference titles in track.

"After graduating Kirkwood and Andrew, our men will probably not be as high on anyone's radar this fall," said Schofer, whose Rams placed third at the 2010 IIAC Championships. "Those two runners didn't just bring us eight IIAC titles between them - they also shaped the culture of our program. Their legacy of hard work and tough racing lives on in our returning runners."

Schofer will call upon new leaders this fall as the team makes its season debut Sept. 1 at the University of Dubuque Triangular.

The Rams still have proven talent in the lineup, led by the senior trio of Chase Nowak, Ben Jacobs and Adam Rooyakkers. All three have earned all-region honors at some point in their careers.

Nowak raced to a seventh-place finish at the 2010 IIAC Championships, where the Rams set a program record for fewest points scored (77) at an IIAC meet. Nowak is a two-time all-region performer, marked by a 15th-place regional finish a year ago.

Rooyakkers joined Nowak as an all-region selection in 2010, placing 33rd. Rooyakkers finished 29th at conference. Jacobs was an all-region runner in 2009. He wound up 29th at last year's IIAC meet.

"We will look to seniors Chase Nowak, Ben Jacobs and Adam Rooyakkers to lead the way for our team," Schofer said. "Chase and Ben put in great summers, and both are extremely motivated for success this fall."

The team returns a fourth starter in senior David Kuhlmann. He came in 41st at conference last year. Senior Chris Stadler, juniors Ben Swerdlow, Jordan Kemme and Scott Hageman and sophomores Thomas Guittar, CJ Horan, Carsen Kuesel and Joshua Randall are all returning letterwinners on a team that welcomes four newcomers.

Cornell's 2010 squad climbed as high as fifth in the Central Region Poll. That unit placed sixth at regionals, also a program best.

"The key to the dramatic improvement of our men's team the last few years has been discipline and team spirit," Schofer said. "Our men know that if we focus on strong team dynamics and consistent training, we will be in position to do great things at the end of the fall."