Oct 24, 2008 - 04:05:14 CDT
Eamin Entwistle didn't need to visit the campus of the University of Mary.Associate head coach Dennis Newell was able to sell him on the cross country program rather easily.
Entwistle and Newell share a mutual friend, and that friend encouraged Entwistle to sign.
Entwistle, of Hot Springs, S.D., saw Newell perform when he competed for Black Hills State. Newell's performance carried a lot of merit with Entwistle.
"It looked like he was 10 minutes in front of the pack," said Entwistle, a freshman. "I trusted him."
Entwistle proved to be a prized recruit for U-Mary. He has been the Marauders' top runner at every meet this season and has placed in the top 10 at every meet except at South Dakota State.
"It's rare for a freshman to step in and be your number one runner," U-Mary head coach Mike Thorson said. "I don't care if you're having a rebuilding year, any time a freshman can step in and be your number one runner ..."
Entwistle has also blended in nicely with U-Mary's other top runners Bennett Mayo and Andrew Reichenberger-Walz.
The trio has made for a nice 1-2-3 punch for the Marauders. They will pace the men's team on Saturday at the Northern Sun Championships at Aberdeen, S.D.
The key for the Marauders is finding a strong fourth and fifth runner to complement Entwistle, Mayo and Reichenberger-Walz, who all have a legitimate shot of earning all-conference honors.
As a team, the Maruaders will be striving to place in the upper echelon of the conference.
"It will come down to our fourth and fifth runners," Newell said. "We are having consistency issues with the men's team. We haven't had a meet where everybody has shown up and run."
Talented core
But Entwistle, Mayo and Reichenberger-Walz give the Marauders a talented base to build on.
Entwistle brings intensity to practice every day.
"That's something you can't coach,"Newell said. "He doesn't want to lose a race. He doesn't care if he's a freshman or a fifth-year senior. If you don't show up with your 'A' game, he will."
Entwistle believes there's a lot more he can contribute to the team.
"I think I can run faster," said Entwistle, a secondary education major. "I'm waiting for it to happen. I don't know why I'm not running very fast. It's my fault."
Newell quickly jumped to Entwistle's defense. Entwistle is still getting accustomed to running a 5-mile race compared to a 3-mile race in high school.
Entwistle also ran about 30 miles a week during his high school season, and he's more than doubled his mileage, averaging about 70 miles a week.
"Doubling your mileage is a factor,"Newell said. "When you raise your level of intensity and volume, it's hard to grasp that concept. He's only been under our guidance for nine weeks, and he has adapted quickly."
Thorson called Mayo a mediocre high school runner who wasn't blessed with natural talent. The sophomore from Zillah, Wash., was brought in as a project and has turned into a competitive college runner.
"He's got some work to do,"Newell said. "He's still a project."
Reichenberger-Walz, a Bismarck High product, has battled injuries and sickness throughout his career. The sophomore has proven he can compete at the NCAA Division II level. Thorson and Newell would just like to see him stay healthy.
"It's always nice to get a local athlete," Thorson said. "He has the potential to do well in this conference."
While Entwistle has pushed Mayo and Reichenberger-Walz, the pair of sophomores have helped Entwistle adjust to a new program.
"I don't know how much I've helped them, but they have been everything to me,"Entwistle said. "It's the little things they know because they have been here for a year. They are an extension of coach Newell. If it wouldn't be for them, I wouldn't be where I am right now."
High expectations
Newell has the same expectations for the U-Mary women, believing they have the potential to finish in the upper part of the conference.
Alyson Piccolo, Kristen Neumiller and Irene Kosgei are potential all-conference performers for the women.
U-Mary will be competing in one of the most competitive conferences and regions in the nation. The North Central Region sends six men's teams and five women's teams to the national meet the most of any conference in Division II.
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