Mavericks Begin 2016 Season Under The Lights
Aug 31, 2016 | Cross Country
OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha cross country team opens the 2016 season at the Augustana Twilight on Friday, Sept. 2. The meet is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.
This Season
The Omaha Mavericks were picked to finish fifth in the 2016 Summit League Women's Cross Country preseason poll as voted by the league's eight head coaches. South Dakota State was selected first while receiving 46 points. The Mavericks will compete in five regular season meets before heading to Macomb, Ill. for the Summit League Championship and Iowa City, Iowa for NCAA Regionals.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Omaha cross country and track & field teams following seven seasons as an assistant coach. Assistant coach Cliff Cisar, now in his second season, guides the cross country team in addition to UNO's distance runners in track and field. From 2010 until 2015, he was a volunteer cross country and track coach for UNO.
Who's Gone, Who's Back?
Omaha will be led by senior Alyssa Thavenet, juniors Rosie Gensichen and Alyssa Averhoff and sophomore Lauren Houston. Gensichen scored in all seven meets for Omaha including five top three finishes for the Mavericks. Averhoff ran in all seven meets for the Mavericks, scoring in each of one and twice finishing third on the team. As a freshman, Houston ran in all seven meets for UNO, scoring in two of them. Thavenet competed in five meets for the Mavericks, scoring in one of them.
Three returners who the Mavericks expect to provide depth to this year's squad include juniors Alexis Allgood and Kayla Sabotin along with redshirt sophomore Annie Catania.
The Mavericks had three seniors on their 2015 squad. Perla Gutierrez competed in six meets last season, finishing second on the team in four meets. Her classmate, Avery Schmidt, competed in all seven meets, scoring points for the Mavericks in six of those meets while Emily Moore competed in five meets for the Omaha Mavericks last season.
The Mavericks also lost three juniors and two freshmen from last year's team. Standout Karo Garcia was the top Maverick runner in all six meets she competed in last season. Freshman Shae Spady competed in all seven meets. Freshman Mads Nelson and junior Kourtney Osentoski competed for Omaha in four and five meets, respectively. My'Angel Davis did not see any action for the Omaha Mavericks last season. She will compete for the Mavericks solely in track & field this season.
The Newcomers
Five true freshman, all from either Iowa or Nebraska, join the Mavericks this season. Anita Jenkins was a four-year letter winner in cross country while also qualifying for the state track meet at Omaha South. Willa Koenig was a four-year letter winner at Lincoln Pius X and was a state qualifier in cross country and track. Jade Romagna comes to UNO from Dubuque, Iowa where she was a four-year letter winner in cross country and track at Dubuque Wahlert High School. Sarah Steffensmeier was a four-year letter winner for Fort Madison High School in Fort Madison, Iowa. Renata Valquier-Chavez was a multiple state qualifier in cross country for Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn, Neb.
Up Next
Following Friday night's meet, the Mavericks return to action in two weeks at the Woody Greeno Nebraska Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Lincoln.
This Season
The Omaha Mavericks were picked to finish fifth in the 2016 Summit League Women's Cross Country preseason poll as voted by the league's eight head coaches. South Dakota State was selected first while receiving 46 points. The Mavericks will compete in five regular season meets before heading to Macomb, Ill. for the Summit League Championship and Iowa City, Iowa for NCAA Regionals.
The Coaches
Chris Richardson is in his fourth season as the head coach of the Omaha cross country and track & field teams following seven seasons as an assistant coach. Assistant coach Cliff Cisar, now in his second season, guides the cross country team in addition to UNO's distance runners in track and field. From 2010 until 2015, he was a volunteer cross country and track coach for UNO.
Who's Gone, Who's Back?
Omaha will be led by senior Alyssa Thavenet, juniors Rosie Gensichen and Alyssa Averhoff and sophomore Lauren Houston. Gensichen scored in all seven meets for Omaha including five top three finishes for the Mavericks. Averhoff ran in all seven meets for the Mavericks, scoring in each of one and twice finishing third on the team. As a freshman, Houston ran in all seven meets for UNO, scoring in two of them. Thavenet competed in five meets for the Mavericks, scoring in one of them.
Three returners who the Mavericks expect to provide depth to this year's squad include juniors Alexis Allgood and Kayla Sabotin along with redshirt sophomore Annie Catania.
The Mavericks had three seniors on their 2015 squad. Perla Gutierrez competed in six meets last season, finishing second on the team in four meets. Her classmate, Avery Schmidt, competed in all seven meets, scoring points for the Mavericks in six of those meets while Emily Moore competed in five meets for the Omaha Mavericks last season.
The Mavericks also lost three juniors and two freshmen from last year's team. Standout Karo Garcia was the top Maverick runner in all six meets she competed in last season. Freshman Shae Spady competed in all seven meets. Freshman Mads Nelson and junior Kourtney Osentoski competed for Omaha in four and five meets, respectively. My'Angel Davis did not see any action for the Omaha Mavericks last season. She will compete for the Mavericks solely in track & field this season.
The Newcomers
Five true freshman, all from either Iowa or Nebraska, join the Mavericks this season. Anita Jenkins was a four-year letter winner in cross country while also qualifying for the state track meet at Omaha South. Willa Koenig was a four-year letter winner at Lincoln Pius X and was a state qualifier in cross country and track. Jade Romagna comes to UNO from Dubuque, Iowa where she was a four-year letter winner in cross country and track at Dubuque Wahlert High School. Sarah Steffensmeier was a four-year letter winner for Fort Madison High School in Fort Madison, Iowa. Renata Valquier-Chavez was a multiple state qualifier in cross country for Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn, Neb.
Up Next
Following Friday night's meet, the Mavericks return to action in two weeks at the Woody Greeno Nebraska Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Lincoln.
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